Board directs continued groundwater testing pending outside funding

The Los Olivos Community Services District board on Dec. 10 directed staff to continue semiannual groundwater monitoring so long as outside funding is available, after hearing that current data are insufficient to establish a clear trend.

General Manager (staff member) summarized recent outreach and said the county indicated it “might be able to carve out” funds to pay for monitoring, and that the district’s consultants — including GSI — and the water board recommended continuing sampling twice a year to build a longer dataset. “They do think they have some funds that they might be able to carve out to pay for for the whole thing,” the manager said, and added that GSI “could do the testing as soon as next week” if logistics and lab supplies are ready.

Board members pressed on how long monitoring should continue before the district 'puts a pin in it.' One director suggested committing to a multiyear period so the board and funders can plan, pointing to the need for consistent seasonal sampling so results are comparable over time.

Public commenters asked whether the Department of Health Services (DHS/EHS) would reimburse costs and whether the December testing window was feasible; the manager said he expected to hear this week from DHS about potential reimbursement. The board emphasized that monitoring should continue when reimbursement is available and be re-evaluated if external funds dry up.

The board did not adopt a formal ordinance or resolution; the action was direction to staff to proceed with monitoring pending external funding commitments.