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State launches wastewater needs assessment; East Orosi designated for sewer‑system administrator under AB 805
Summary
State Water Board staff described a statewide wastewater needs assessment and recent actions under AB 805 to appoint a sewer system administrator for East Orosi, citing SB 1215 and AB 805 authorities and a phased statewide data collection and advisory process.
State Water Board staff briefed the coordinating committee on a new statewide wastewater needs assessment and on the state’s first use of AB 805 authority to designate a sewer system administrator for a disadvantaged community.
Annalisa Kihara (Division of Water Quality) and staff outlined two parallel efforts: (1) a contract‑funded statewide wastewater needs assessment to locate inadequate and at‑risk sanitation systems and propose solution pathways; and (2) implementation of recent legislation — SB 1215 (wastewater consolidation program) and AB 805 (sewer system administrators) — to respond to immediate community needs.
Stephanie Torres (DWQ) described the East Orosi pilot: under AB 805 the State Water Board can designate an inadequate sewer system and appoint a sewer system administrator to plan, fund, and implement connections or consolidation. The State issued a notification letter to East Orosi in February 2025, held a public meeting in April, and—per staff—received no objection to the proposed administrator (Tulare County or a local district). Staff said the administrator will prepare feasibility and community‑engagement plans, and may access Clean Water State Revolving Fund and other funding mechanisms to support consolidation.
Dania Jimerson summarized the wastewater needs assessment: a multi‑year, multi‑institution contract led by the University of California with subcontracted partners, funded for baseline work through 2027. Phase 1 focuses on data gathering, regional validation with the nine regional boards, advisory‑group input and a baseline assessment survey; Phase 2 will map systems of concern, estimate costs for solutions (capital and operations) and produce a working list and mapping tools to inform state and local planning. The team has run advisory group meetings, issued surveys, and planned field campaigns to ground‑truth the data.
Bridal (DWQ) said the long‑term vision is a coordinated, regionalized approach that uses consistent terminology, transparent data, and targeted technical assistance so communities can move from identification to funded solutions faster. Staff emphasized that the legislative authorities currently available are limited, and that the needs assessment will support future planning and potential legislative or funding requests.
