A water supply reservoir once off-limits to swimming is just a few months away from allowing people to dive in.
Central Coast-based State Senator John Laird (D-17) notified KSBY Monday night that Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill Laird sponsored, which expands recreational access at Santa Margarita Lake.
The lake is a man-made reservoir and supplies drinking water for the area.
“Santa Margarita Lake is an incredible public resource, and advances in water treatment mean we can safely allow people to enjoy more of what the lake has to offer,” said Laird in his press release. “SB 1253 expands recreational opportunities for residents and visitors while maintaining the safeguards needed to protect our drinking water. I’m glad the Governor signed this reasonable measure into law.”
Previously, the lake was open to fishing, boating, canoeing and kayaking, but in the future, more direct access with water will be allowed due to this new legislation. The state senator explained that advances in water treatment and monitoring will now allow for swimming, paddleboarding, windsurfing, sail or foil boarding, water access from the beach or shore, and body-contact fishing.
Laird also explained that the City of San Luis Obispo will continue using microfiltration and disinfection to treat the water, with oversight from the State Water Resources Control Board.
The new access takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Santa Margarita is a rural town in San Luis Obispo County named for the 13th-century Saint Margaret of Cortona.
