Water purveyors in Los Osos released an updated basin plan Monday that details strategies for protecting the groundwater basin's resources.
Kathy Kivley is the general manager of the Los Osos Community Services District. She said the plan is "vital" for the community.
"The control of this basin and reducing the pumping and stopping seawater intrusion is extremely important to the community because, should we not be able to stop seawater intrusion, should we end up with salts in our water, the treatment for that is a lot more expensive. So we want to stay away from that," Kivley said.
The plan employs conservation measures and strategies to halt seawater intrusion, including:
- Shifting pumping away from the coast
- Implementing conservation measures to limit pumping
- Redefining the “safe yield” limit; reserve 20 percent of “safe yield” to create a buffer to proactively protect the basin
- Reusing recycled water from the new wastewater treatment plant
Los Osos Community Services District will be joined by Golden State Water Company, S & T Mutual Water Company, and San Luis Obispo County to submit the plan to the Superior Court for approval this year.