Could Cambria, San Simeon CSDs share a wastewater treatment plant?
Is a shared, regional wastewater treatment plant in the future for the Cambria and San Simeon community services districts?
Officials from San Luis Obispo County and those districts have been discussing that possibility, its ramifications and complications, albeit in very general terms at this stage.
Talks are due to resume in January under the guidance of county Supervisor Bruce Gibson.
“My role with the two CSDs is to facilitate discussions as they explore their options,” he wrote in a Dec. 3 email interview. “In general, I think there may be some useful possibilities — but it’s going to take some time to explore them.
“It will also require some technical analysis to estimate the cost and how the two agencies would share responsibilities, which in the end are always big issues.”
In the past, the Cambria Community Services District and San Simeon Community Services District have shared services, tools, devices and even staff on a casual, as-needed basis. That arrangement has often been prompted by emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, failed equipment and broken hydrants or mains.
Cambria, San Simeon CSDs share during emergencies
Speaking of the San Simeon CSD, Cambria CSD board president David Pierson said, “We have a lot more equipment than they do.” That’s commensurate with the differing sizes of the communities.
“For instance, they don’t have a Vactor truck but we do,” he said, referring to a company that manufactures sewer cleaners and vacuum evacuation trucks. “If they need it in an emergency, we’d certainly lend it to them. Same with a backhoe or a dump truck.”
“These communities are isolated,” San Simeon CSD general manager Charles Grace said, “and with PG&E talking about shutting off power for 48 hours or more, wildfires, even a mainline break, we could share resources if we were having issues of not enough personnel and equipment in the area if an emergency was going down.”
Among those participating in the joint discussions so far, have been Gibson, Grace, Pierson, Cambria CSD board member Harry Farmer and Cambria CSD general manager John Wielgold.
Others involved include Jim Green, water department supervisor and chief operator of Cambria’s Sustainable Water Facility plant, as well as plant supervisor John Allchin, San Simeon CSD board chairwoman Gwen Kellas and San Simeon CSD board member John Russell.
One topic of discussion is a new sewer treatment plant that may need a new location.
A new wastewater treatment plant?
The tilt toward some form of shared services and/or facilities was triggered by the state Coastal Commission’s recent requirement that, within 10 years, the San Simeon district should be well on its way to financing a new wastewater treatment plant in a different location.
A 10-year extension is possible if the district has made significant progress toward that goal.
The joint plant suggestion was attached to the Coastal Commission’s July 12 decision to let the San Simeon CSD continue using its current wastewater treatment plant — even though it sends treated effluent through an outfall into the ocean. About 35 years ago, the district shored up that outfall with rip rap in an action that commission officials maintained had never been approved.
“The preferred idea” of a shared location for the two communities “wasn’t really in the commission’s staff report,” Grace recalled. “It was more of a suggestion, along with ‘You need to have a hazardous response mitigation plan in to the Commission in three years. That plan has to include talks about relocating the treatment plant, maybe a regional plant with Cambria or relocate within the existing community. Or does State Parks have any land available that would support a wastewater treatment plant?’ ”
“When the California Coastal Commission mentions an idea, like ‘Have you looked into this and if not, why not and when will you?’ ... you have to pay attention,” Grace said.
The wastewater facilities for both CSD districts are decades old. And they’re perhaps aging more rapidly than they would have if they had been initially located further than a block or so away from the ocean.
Expanding that separation between beach and plant could be difficult within San Simeon, a tiny community that’s only about a half-mile wide. It’s bordered by the Pacific Ocean on one side and hills owned mostly by Hearst Ranch on the other.
This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 3:29 PM.
