Suisun Valley sewer study proposal draws sharp pushback from growers and residents; sewer district says countywide plan needed

County resource management staff presented a proposed comprehensive sewer feasibility study for Suisun Valley after Fairfield Suisun Sewer District (FSSD) said it would not approve isolated connections without regionwide analysis. George Demril, general manager of FSSD, told the Board that "as of today, sewer service in Suisun Valley is illegal," under the district's enabling statute and that any expansion would require legislative or jurisdictional changes and holistic planning.

Several supervisors and numerous stakeholders pushed back on the timeline and asked for broad stakeholder engagement. Supervisor Williams said stakeholders should have been contacted earlier and announced she could not support moving forward without prior outreach. Stakeholder groups including the Solano County Farm Bureau and Suisun Valley Vintners and Growers Association urged deferral until the county's SALT grant infrastructure committee produces its findings; Farm Bureau and vintner leaders said the strategic plan for Suisun Valley previously recommended decentralized wastewater solutions and warned that municipal sewer could spur growth and annexation.

Resource staff and FSSD emphasized technical constraints: planning for sewer requires sizing pipes, pump stations and treatment capacity for decades, not single parcels. Staff recommended coordinating a joint study framework with FSSD, refining study scope, and returning to the Board with a final scope that includes stakeholder outreach and legal/finance analyses. Board members agreed to use the SALT grant process and a town‑hall to gather stakeholder input before finalizing the study scope.