Los Olivos Wastewater Workshop Shapes Options

Los Olivos Community Services District will hold a public workshop on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 6 p.m. to present remaining wastewater collection options, updated cost estimates and the next step in the town’s long-running sewer planning process. The meeting is scheduled at the Los Olivos Grange Hall, 2374 Alamo Pintado Ave., and will also be broadcast on Zoom, according to the district’s posted agenda and a district announcement. The board said the session is intended to gather public input as it narrows the final collection approach before moving into the next stage of engineering design. The workshop comes ahead of a Proposition 218 property-owner vote the district is targeting for early 2027. ### What exactly will residents hear on June 3? The June 3 agenda says the workshop will focus on wastewater “collection, treatment, and disposal,” with particular attention to collection options — gravity fed, effluent only, or a mix of the two. The district said Wallace Group will present an overview of the project’s 30% design and a 30-year lifecycle cost document. (losolivoscsd.com) The district’s May 22 announcement said property owners and residents will receive updated information on the proposed wastewater collection and conveyance approach, including estimated project costs and the remaining collection system options still under consideration. Topics listed by the district include conveyance to the City of Solvang for treatment, community priorities and feedback, and next steps toward final design and the Proposition 218 vote. (losolivoscsd.com) ### Which choices are still on the table? Los Olivos Community Services District said the unresolved collection question centers on whether wastewater should be gathered through a traditional gravity system, an effluent collection system, or a hybrid of the two. A 2025 district announcement described that as one of the main policy and cost choices still before the board. (independent.com) The treatment question has also remained open. The district said in 2025 that the community had been weighing whether sewage should be treated locally or sent to Solvang, and its latest announcement says conveyance to the City of Solvang for treatment will be part of the June 3 discussion. ### Why is the district asking for input now? (losolivoscsd.com) Guy Savage, the district’s general manager, said in the May 22 announcement that the workshop “represents an important step in a process that has involved years of engineering work, technical analysis, and community input.” Savage said the district is “now nearing a final decision regarding wastewater collection,” and that community feedback remains part of that process. (independent.com) The district said workshop input is expected to help inform the board’s final collection decision before it authorizes advancement to the next phase of project design. The board is expected to determine a preferred collection approach after the workshop, according to the district announcement. ### What is driving the sewer project in Los Olivos? (independent.com) The district’s website says Los Olivos Community Services District was formed to provide a funding mechanism for facilities needed to collect, treat and dispose of sewage and wastewater in the unincorporated Los Olivos area. Santa Barbara County’s Local Agency Formation Commission page says the district was formed in 2018. A 2025 district announcement said the need for a community sewer in Los Olivos was identified more than 50 years ago, when the area was designated a special problems area by Santa Barbara County. (independent.com) The district’s May 22 announcement said the current options are being explored to address groundwater quality concerns, septic system limitations and ongoing state wastewater requirements in that Special Problems Area. (losolivoscsd.com) ### What happens after the workshop? The district’s website includes a section explaining Proposition 218 as California’s “Right to Vote on Taxes Act,” which requires voter approval for certain taxes, assessments, fees and charges. In its latest announcement, the district said the June 3 workshop is expected to help build the foundation for a property-owner Proposition 218 vote targeted for early 2027. June 3 materials posted by the district say remote attendees will be able to watch the proceedings on Zoom but will not be able to ask questions directly. (independent.com) The next regular board meeting listed on the district website is June 10, 2026, and the district said interested residents can sign up for future notices through its mailing list. (losolivoscsd.com) (losolivoscsd.com)