A decades long battle was won by our Santa Lucia Chapter, local Surfrider Foundation Chapter, and community activists when the California Coastal Commission approved a much improved wastewater treatment plant for Los Osos, California. Located on the Central Coast, this area has been plagued with sewer controversy since the 1980s. The improvements to the original proposal that we helped to force will greatly increase water conservation efforts and improve the quality of treated water from the plant.
Specifically, Sierra Club and our environmental allies pushed for the location of the treatment plant to be away from the Morro Bay National Estuary (pictured), a higher level of sewage treatment, aggressive water conservation measures and agricultural reuse of treated effluent to curb seawater intrusion into the imperiled aquifer, sealed pipes, and the creation of ‘green streets.’ (Photo courtesy of "Mike" Michael L. Baird, flickr.bairdphotos.com)
