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Planning commission approval of Cambria WRF met with public skepticism over brine, costs and feasibility
Summary
County planners approved the Coastal Development Permit for Cambria's East–West wastewater reclamation facility; the permit was appealed to the Board of Supervisors. Members of the public warned about brine disposal, habitat impacts and costs, while staff said technical reports (including a ZLD pilot) will be provided to the board for review.
On Feb. 26 the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission approved the East–West Wastewater Reclamation Facility (WRF) coastal development permit, and at the March 12 board meeting General Manager Michael McElhaney told the Cambria CSD board that the permit has been appealed to the county Board of Supervisors and will ultimately go to the Coastal Commission. Staff said the planning commission approval included some conditions such as additional vegetation screening and the retention of a lined pond for stormwater storage and fire protection.
Public commenter Christine Heinrichs strongly criticized the project’s viability and cost, arguing that brine disposal and environmental impacts remain unresolved and that long construction and operating costs make the project unlikely to produce local water supplies. "This project is never going to deliver water," Heinrichs told the board, characterizing the WRF as a long, costly undertaking with unresolved technical hurdles.
Staff response: McElhaney described multiple brine‑disposal options under study: the district’s zero‑liquid‑discharge (ZLD) pilot (which staff say recovered roughly 98–99% of water in pilot tests), trucking brine or exploring a pump and treatment connection to the San Simeon outfall as part of county discussions. Staff emphasized that technical reports and a final ZLD pilot report from the vendor (Global Water Innovations) are pending and will be presented to the board before any operational decisions are made.
What’s next: The permit appeal to the Board of Supervisors and the pending Coastal Commission review could require additional studies or mitigation. Staff said they will bring the ZLD pilot data and brine‑management analysis to a future board meeting before committing to an operational plan.
