The County's Worst-Case-Scenario in Los Osos, is Also a VERY Real Scenario

TO: Bruce Gibson, District Two Supervisor, SLO County
DATE: 6/14/10

Dear Supervisor Gibson,

Three years ago, I published a story that shows how a 2004 Regional Water Quality Control Board document, "Item 19," that discusses the various "alternatives" available in Los Osos, reads:

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[All bolding mine]
Require Alternative Waste Disposal Units – The Regional Board could (through General Waste Discharge Requirements, Cleanup and Abatement Orders, or Cease and Desist Orders) require use of alternative waste disposal units.

Advanced treatment units (for improved effluent quality), portable toilets and/or composting toilets (for reduced discharges, as discussed in previous section regarding prohibiting black water discharges) could be required. Such units could be required for existing discharges using Cleanup and Abatement or Cease and Desist Orders, or for new discharges using General Waste Discharge Requirements.

Pros: For those existing discharges where such alternatives are implemented, water quality improvement will occur. If General Waste Discharge Requirements are adopted by the Regional Board which authorize development of vacant lots, then this method may also provide benefits similar to those described under the 'Rescinding Resolution No. 83-13' section above.

Cons: Widespread implementation of this alternative would result in more costly waste treatment and less effective water quality protection than that offered by the community sewer. However, it remains one of the few alternatives, which can result in water quality improvement and is not subject to Coastal Commission approval. The previous discussion about the questionable availability of this huge number of outhouses, would also apply to availability of other types of alternative treatment methods.
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Notice how their "cons" have nothing to do with things like feasibility and nuisance, instead it says things like, "Widespread implementation of this alternative would result in more costly waste treatment."

That quote tells me two things: 1) Widespread implementation of this alternative is possible, and 2) "would result in more costly waste treatment," is not even close to being accurate, unless they mean by the reluctant few that hold out for a community sewer system, because that would "result in MUCH more costly waste treatment"... for THOSE people. And, even if composting toilets WERE more costly, which they are not (not even close) the cost of "the few alternatives, which can result in water quality improvement" is entirely up to the property owner.

Considering the RWQCB all but raves about composting toilets, and even considered "requiring" them in Los Osos, it seems like it's just a matter of time before a property owner in the Prohibition Zone installs an "advanced" composting toilet system, and, therefore will not need to hook up to the sewer pipe in front of their property, and then get out of paying the sewer assessment by easily arguing "no benefit, no assessment."

And if just ONE property owner in Los Osos does that, eventually ALL property owners in the Prohibition Zone will be economically forced to do the exact same thing, unless they want to spend something like $5,000/month just to flush with water.

Furthermore, the water savings associated with composting toilets is immense, and, as you know, the overdraft of the groundwater in Los Osos is a HUGE problem.

Additionally, at this link:

http://www.compostingtoilet.org/faq/index.php

...it reads:

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"What are the advantages to the community?

If a community were to embrace the total use of composting toilets and appropriate greywater systems, it would have no sewage charges, sewage pipe installations and maintenance costs.

The community would also have greatly reduced water costs

What are the advantages to the environment?

The widescale use of composting toilets would be very beneficial to the environment. Reduced water use would minimise storage and piping impacts, elimination of sewage would reduce nutrient flows into river and oceans and subsequent rejuvenation of marine systems.

Cities could become fertilizer factories instead of nutrient sinks, reducing environmental problems associated with manufacture of fertilisers.

Don't They Smell?

A correctly installed and operating composting toilet will not smell at all because there is a positive suction of air through the toilet at all times. In fact, there should be less smell than a conventional toilet."
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Here's my question: Why is the county spending so much time and money on a community sewer for Los Osos, when, almost certainly, it's going to be a community of composting toilets, just like the RWQCB considered "requiring" in Los Osos due to all of the excellent benefits associated with the "advanced" units they mention in Item 19?

Interestingly, the last time I was in (SLO County Public Works Director) Paavo Ogren's office, about two years ago, I made all of this information available to him, but he just ignored it entirely... entirely. He never mentioned it again, at the same time spending millions (and years) on the design of a sewer system.

I hope that you don't take the same route on this extremely important subject, as Ogren, or, almost certainly, the County's worst-case-scenario will come true: There will be a $180 million sewer system in Los Osos that no one needs to hook up to.

Thank you,
Ron

P.S. I personally know people in SLO County that use composting toilets, and they went through proper county channels before they installed them, and the county was o.k. with it. And the people that have composting toilets, rave about them, and the units are "very beneficial to the environment."

P.P.S. I've published this e-mail on my blog

sewerwatch.blogspot.com

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[24 weeks down... 28 to go.]