News and Announcements

Los Osos Water Recycling Facility wins the CWEA Tri-Counties Small Plant of the Year

In a community that might once have been considered highly contentious to their wastewater system, the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility is exceeding effluent discharge requirements and leveraging that effluent to reduce groundwater pumping, to slow saltwater intrusion, and reduce residual nitrates from past septic operations in the Los Osos groundwater basin. Dedicated staff focus Operations and Maintenance efforts on service to the community and long-term equipment reliability. There is a healthy sense of pride in the plant’s quality of operation and appearance. We are grateful for our staff that diligently work to provide wastewater service for our community.

Los Osos Staff with the CWEA Small Plant of the Year Trophy (Stephen, Marcus, Luis, Harbans, Eric, Sean L., Teddy, Greg,)

Los Osos Wastewater System continues to monitor COVID to gain community insights

Our team has recently partnered with the CDC NWSS Program managed by Biobot Analytics for COVID surveillance in wastewater systems. This free program will give the Los Osos Community valuable and actionable public health insights.

ARPA Funding for Los Osos Projects

The County received Federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to execute projects in the Public Works Department. Projects in Los Osos that are funded by ARPA include installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) at the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility (LOWRF), installing a flow meter at the Broderson Leach Field, procuring a vacuum truck and installing a washout facility, and installing a chlorine analyzer at the LOWRF. The VFDs will provide energy savings for the LOWRF by controlling the effluent pumps more efficiently. The flow meter at the Broderson Leach Field will improve the reporting accuracy and assist with optimizing the use of recycled water in the community. The vacuum truck and washout bins are critical pieces of infrastructure for the operations staff to maintain the Los Osos Wastewater System. The chlorine analyzer will allow the LOWRF to optimize the chlorine addition into the recycled water system to continue to protect the health and safety of the County’s recycled water customers.

Recycled Water Connections

The Los Osos Water Recycling Facility (LOWRF) produces recycled water that can be utilized within the Los Osos groundwater basin. The County provides recycled water to irrigation, agricultural, construction, and urban water users. Customers using recycled water consist of Sea Pines Golf Course, the Los Osos Valley Road median, and construction and agricultural users. The County is working with the San Luis Coastal Unified School District to develop an agreement for the schools to use recycled water for irrigation. The school sites would be Los Osos Middle School, Baywood Elementary School, Monarch Grove Elementary School, and at the Sunnyside Elementary site.  The County is working internally to provide recycled water for the Los Osos Community Park to irrigation. Recycled water that is not used for irrigation is sent to the Broderson and Bayridge Leach Fields.

California Coastal Commission’s Condition 6 is still in effect

Condition 6 of the Los Osos Wastewater Project Coastal Development Permit prohibits wastewater service to undeveloped properties within the service area unless and until the Estero Area Plan is amended to identify appropriate and sustainable buildout limits, and any appropriate mechanisms to stay within such limits based on conclusive evidence indicating that adequate water is available to support development of such properties without adverse impacts to ground and surface waters, including wetlands and habitats.

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Los Osos Water Conservation Rebate Program – For Homeowner Installation