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Los Olivos CSD reviews $9.7 million 30% design to pipe wastewater to Solvang
Summary
Consultants presented a 30% design for a force main to Solvang that includes two lift stations and preliminary construction estimates of about $9.7 million; board members and residents pressed officials about who could tap the line, ownership and aesthetic impacts of pump stations.
The Los Olivos Community Services District on April 9 received a 30% design concept from Stantec for a force main that would carry wastewater from the southern edge of the district to a connection point at Sunnyfield Park in the City of Solvang. The consulting engineer said the conservative, construction-level estimate is about $9,700,000.
"About 9,700,000," Stantec consultant Carrie said when summarizing the capital estimate, explaining the breakout: about $7,000,000 for the force main, roughly $1,000,000 for the Santa Barbara lift station and about $500,000 for a smaller Grand Avenue lift station. The presentation described two duplex lift stations, multiple bridge crossings, and HDPE pipe to allow flexible installation and reduce the risk of unauthorized connections.
Why it matters: the cost and technical design choices will shape how the district pays for a system, who benefits first and whether the district retains local control. Board members repeatedly framed the tradeoff between building and operating a local treatment plant versus buying capacity from Solvang and owning a proprietary pipeline.
Stantec's design included technical details often flagged by residents: the Santa Barbara lift station peak discharge was estimated at about 334 gallons per minute, the larger lift station would require two 10,000‑gallon wet wells and a trailer-mounted standby diesel generator, and the alignment calls for the force main to run primarily in the northbound lane of Alamo Pintado Road with an open-cut trench construction assumption.
Board reaction was cautious but constructive. Director Fareham called the cost an "upper-end" estimate at 30% design and said more detailed work and contractor feedback could lower the price. Several directors said owning only the pipeline while allowing Solvang to operate treatment facilities could reduce operational risk for the district but requires careful negotiation to preserve local control and to prevent unplanned tap-ins.
Next steps: staff said the Stantec report would be part of a May 14 community workshop and that the board's action on the report at this meeting was informational only (receive and file). The workshop will include Q&A and further discussion of collection alternatives and funding options.
