Water/Sewage Plant Proposed at New Site

by Jack McCurdy

Summary: It's been seven years since Morro Bay and Cayucos began planning a new water/sewage plant (now called a water reclamation facility because of the new emphasis on the generation of recycled water by such a plant) and finally in the next couple of months, the planning is expected to be put into action as the outline of the plant takes shape. The election of Jamie Irons, Christine Johnson and Noah Smukler (reelection) last year got the ball moving after years of foot-dragging by previous Councils, and come next February the community will learn exactly what, when and where a new facility lies in store.

Morro Bay residents have been served another surprise — and maybe a third could be coming in February — about what, when, where a new water reclamation facility (WRF) lies in store for the city, a plant which is certain to not only accommodate sewage waste but also — and just as important, to provide the community with the water its residents must have to drink, wash and irrigate with a reliable source now that the future of state water is becoming so uncertain.
The surprise came from a second water reclamation report, which replaced the soon-to-close Morro Bay Power Plant as the site for a new WRF with the Righetti property in Morro Valley north of Highway 1 west of the city limits. That took place at the Morro Bay City Council meeting on Dec. 10. Why the change from the power plant to the Righetti site seemed unclear in the report. (See CCC Comments)

The report states that based on public input, the WRF planners headed by John Rickenbach "will evaluate two new issues not fully considered in the first draft." One is "neighborhood compatibility (especially as it relates to odors)". The other is the proposed project's consistency with long-range planning concepts. Also, because of significant fears that discharges of waste from the present sewage plant located on Estero Bay, the next draft of the WRF report will consider the future use of the ocean outfall by a new WRF.

The concern with odors coming from a new WRF may have played the key role in replacing the power plant property as the top site for the WRF with the Morro Valley site or sites because there are some residences near by the plant property and it is relatively close to the main part of Morro Bay.

The next draft also will include a calculation of what it would cost a similar project at the existing, old sewage plant site, "not because that site is under consideration (it is not), but to allow the public and the City Council to understand the comparative costs in a context that is more easily understood." Maybe that means to show advocates of building a new WRF at the present sewage plant that it wouldn't be as cheap and easy as they have claimed endlessly — without any evidence.

The big question, at least in the minds of many residents who have either attended Council meetings where the Rickenbach reports were discussed or who have followed the developments from afar, is what will the cost be for a new WRF? The latest report has the cost still in the $90 to $110 million range. Could that change? The Council gave the planners until February to come back with their "final" report, and if the factors entering into selection of a site are refined, the cost could drop, which would be a political stroke for the Council, which has been castigated for considering a new plant in the $100 million range when upgrading the old sewage plant would have cost an estimated $34.5 million. That figure is a invalid because it doesn't include costs for water reclamation, which state agencies have said they will require and which the city badly needs as the state water project (the city's main source of water) is declining and the city left in the lurch — with no water.

Here are seven sites that Rickenbach says can meet WRF goals and are ranked in preference with estimated cost (site acquisition, facility construction, etc.)

1. Morro Valley, lowland area as one drives on Highway 41 northeast from Morro Bay to Atascadero, generally within the first two miles after leaving the City, mainly Rancho Colina and Righetti properties, $100 million each to develop.
2. Power Plant—southern portion of the property between Front Street and Highway 1, $90 million.
3. Chorro Valley, at the northwestern corner of the interchange of Highway 1 and South Bay Boulevard overlooking Chorro Creek, $110 million.
4. Giannini property, located in the City limits just south of Highway 41, and east of Highway 1, $100 million.
5. Chevron, located on the border of Morro Bay and Cayucos, just east of Highway 1, $110 million.
6. Panorama, in the city across from a large residential neighborhood, separated by Panorama Drive, $110 million.
7. California Men's Colony (CMC) Wastewater Treatment Plant Site, located on the Cuesta College property, about five miles east of the Morro Bay city limits on the north side of Highway 1, owned by the state, $160 million.

Rickenbach noted in his report that the existing status facing the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant was removed from consideration by his planning firm as a result of the California Coastal Commission’s January, 2013, denial of a permit for a new facility at that location.

Once the City Council chooses a site, the next steps would include acquiring the site, gaining the support of the Coastal Commission to pursue development on the site, and the creation of potential designs for the facility, as well as a plan for paying for that facility. This would be followed by environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), resource regulatory agency permitting as needed, annexation to the city (if necessary), and ultimately construction and operation. These future actions are beyond the scope of this study, he said.

The report expands the Chorro Valley site to include a roughly 400-acre parcel outside the City (part of the Tri-W site). It also takes into account The Effects of Cost Sharing with Multiple Agencies at the CMC Site. Cost assumptions in the first draft report do not consider cost-sharing with other agencies, because this possibility cannot yet be assumed.

The new WRF, Rickenbach's report said, is intended to accomplish several goals, including the following:

· Production of tertiary, disinfected wastewater in accordance with Title 22 requirements for unrestricted urban irrigation
· Designed to be able to produce reclaimed wastewater for potential users, which could include public and private landscape areas, agriculture, or groundwater recharge. A master reclamation plan should include a construction schedule and for bringing on customers in a cost effective manner.
· Onsite composting
· Energy recovery
· Ability to treat contaminants of emerging concern in the future

City-Operated vs. Regional Facility? Fundamentally, Rickenbach said, this report also assumes that the project would be constructed and operated by the City of Morro Bay alone, rather than with any partner agencies, because that has been the direction provided to City staff to this point.

During the public outreach process, there was much input regarding the existing outfall structure — should it stay, or should it go? Is it needed? If so, under what conditions? Can it be eliminated as part of the project? Is there an advantage to keeping it in place?

At a meeting of the Morro Bay City Council and the Cayucos Sanitary District Board (still partners under the Joint Powers Agreement) on Dec. 12, board president Robert Enns said the board i is "evaluating the CMC site," which everyone in the sparse audience seemed to be aware of, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board said "we need to think regionally" with an "integrated regional management plan." The message seemed to be that Morro Bay and Cayucos should build a new WRF together. Problem is, as Enns has emphasized for years, "Cayucos doesn't need any water." it is served by five private water companies.

Morro Bay City Council members seemed to agree with Enns and said "we need to work on the CMC" where both Morro Bay and Cayucos could partner. City and Cayucos staffs spoke up and supported "working together," and Morro Bay public services director Rob Livick agreed. Then Rick Koon, Cayucos general manager, suggested representatives from both sides should meet with the Regional Board and "see what they expect." Livick agreed. And no one objected but the enthusiasm was mild.

Both sides know that the Regional Board and the Coastal Commission staff are determined that a new WRF — maybe two — are built very soon. The Coastal Commission on December 10 weighed in with its views on the direction that Morro Bay should be headed.

Little if anything about the plight of Cayucos.