Plans are moving forward in Los Osos to secure water for the town's future, which currently depends on groundwater.
“We’re highly vulnerable. If there is any type of interruption in supply, like power outages, earthquakes, anything like that, we have no other source,” said Ron Munds, Los Osos CSD general manager.
To bring in more water, a 2.5-mile-long Water Resiliency Intertie Pipeline project is in the works after a design contract was recently approved for $854,000. It would run along South Bay Boulevard to Highway 1.
“And then we are going to be looking at two options on how to get past Highway 1 to the actual state water pipeline,” Munds said.
The project would connect all three area water purveyors: the Los Osos CSD, S&T Mutual, and Golden State Water.
“We will be able to wheel it through our water pipes over to the Golden State area, which is mostly south of Los Osos Valley Road, and to the west, and then they can wheel it around through their system to S&T Mutual, which is down by Sea Pines Golf Course,” Munds said.
“If we had a problem with my water company, I’d be getting a water truck to come to my house, whereas if they are all cross-connected and backed up by state water, that issue goes away,” said Steve Riley, Los Osos resident.”
Munds says the other two water purveyors are on board. “Golden State and S&T Mutual are fully on board, and eventually we will get into a formal agreement and do cost-sharing,” Munds said.
CSD General Manager Ron Munds says the project would help improve water quality and reliability, and help stabilize the groundwater basin, making it sustainable for the current population.
“So we can decrease the pumping and hopefully have our groundwater recharge during times when we are importing the water,” Munds said.
Munds says that due to certain areas being more complicated, the design phase will take at least a year. “Once you get over towards Morro Bay, around the State Park area, it’s an environmentally sensitive area, geological, rock formations that we have to work around,” Munds said.
The project is expected to cost around $10 to $12 million and would impact ratepayers.
“What we are hoping is that as we get grant funding to decrease the actual cost to the residents, and we do low-interest long-term loans spread out over 20 to 30 years, so you won’t see a huge impact on your bill, but there will be some impact,” Munds said.
“It’s always like that, isn’t it?” Riley said.
Munds says this is an important project for the town. “It is one of the largest water projects that we have undertaken as a community, but this will make our community sustainable now and into the future,” Munds said.
