Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

After years of hard work from the San Luis Bay Chapter of Surfrider and their allies, the era of the 301(h) waiver for the Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Plant is about to come to an end. In May, the Cayucos Community Service District Board and Morro Bay City Council both unanimously voted their intent to upgrade the Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Plant to tertiary treatment standards. The plant currently operates under a 301(h) waiver that has exempted it for decades from meeting federal Clean Water Act standards and allows it to discharge effluent that has received only partial secondary treatment. The upgrade would increase the treatment to full secondary and include additional tertiary treatment—which means cleaner effluent and opportunity to reclaim water for non-potable use. This is a landmark moment for the Chapter, the communities of Morro Bay and Cayucos, and all Californians, as the upgrade of this plant will eliminate one of the two remaining 301(h) waivers in the state.