What Does My Utility Bill Pay For?

Clean, Safe, and Reliable Drinking Water

The City is committed to maintaining a sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective water and wastewater system. The City’s water quality is tested weekly and all water quality standards are met without exception. Read about how the City’s water system met all federal and state drinking water standards in 2019 in the City’s most recent water quality report. Visit www.pismobeach.org/waterquality. In order to maintain this water quality, several capital projects are proposed to be supported by your water payments, including the: Shell Beach 1 Reservoir Replacement; Charles Street Reservoir Replacement; and 4th Street Waterline Installation projects.

Protecting Public Health and the Environment with City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City’s wastewater quality is exceptional, far exceeding the standards established by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. In order to meet federal and state laws and regulatory requirements, several capital projects are proposed to be supported by your wastewater payments, including the: Five Cities lift station; Sludge Dewatering; Energy Efficiency; Rehabilitation of aging clarifier; and Trestle Rehabilitation projects.

New Drought-Resistant Water Supply: Central Coast Blue for Water Sustainability

Central Coast Blue is a regional water sustainability project that is proposed to create a new, high-quality, and drought-resistant water supply for the Five Cities communities, including Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano. Agencies representing the Five Cities communities are designing and building a new advanced water purification facility to create a high-quality water source to supplement local groundwater supplies, with Pismo Beach serving as the lead agency. This project allows these communities to have sufficient water supplies even in times of water shortage or drought.

The project includes construction of an Advanced Treatment Facility to treat water from the City of Pismo Beach’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in phase I and treat water from the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District (SSLOCSD) WWTP in phase II to produce purified water that is purer than most bottled water. The purified water will be injected into the groundwater basin to supplement the natural groundwater supply and to create a seawater intrusion barrier.

Central Coast Blue will enhance local supply reliability and help protect the communities from droughts by diversifying supply sources and keeping communities from becoming too reliant on any one source of water. This project also reduces the amount of treated effluent into the ocean by 77%. For more information, visit www.centralcoastblue.com.

Maintaining Sustainable Water and Wastewater Systems

Water and wastewater rates support the overall financial plans for water and wastewater. These financial plans account for increasing operating expenses, including support for rising benefits, electricity, chemicals, and purchased water (State water supply and Lopez Lake water). The financial plans also include ensuring adequate reserves and debt service coverage ratios.