Recognizing the Achievements of the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility

Set back from Los Osos Vally Road, thousands of people will drive by the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility (LOWRF) and never even know it’s there. It’s hidden behind hills and trees, with only a small sign to point out the driveway. But the facility serves a vital function for the community of Los Osos and San Luis Obispo County.

Aerial photograph of the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility in San Luis Obispo County

The LOWRF was designed to deliver highly treated wastewater for irrigation and other purposes to promote sustainability within the Los Osos Groundwater Basin. The first location to connect to the system in 2016 was the Sea Pines Golf Resort, who use recycled water from the plant for irrigation. The recycled water they receive supplements up to 200,000 gallons of groundwater water per day, which would otherwise be pumped from the Los Osos aquifer. This effort to preserve and reuse wastewater is vital for our community and local ecosystem, especially here in California, where we have faced drought for many years.

The LOWRF was recently named 2023 Small Plant of the Year by the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) for the facility's accomplishments in compliance, innovative practices, cost effectiveness, and superior plant performance. The County of San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors recognized this achievement during its meeting on May 21, thanking the Public Works staff who manage the wastewater services for the Los Osos community.

While the original project to build the LOWRF was highly divisive and controversial in the County at the time, this award affirms the decision and the project itself as a great success! Sean Loveridge, Chief Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, credited the successes of the facility and the Plant of the Year Award to the skill and level of experience the staff bring to the table.

"The facility offers staff exposure to every aspect of maintenance, water quality compliance, engineering, safety, finance, and environmental restoration needed for the wastewater collection, treatment, disposal, and recycled water distribution systems that support the Los Osos community. It makes for a well-rounded team," he said.

At the Board of Supervisors meeting, John Diodati, Director of Public Works, said, "This award is about the operational team, who are the real winners here today. They were given a brand-new plant and, with their passion and hard work, they’re running it at a level that’s being recognized as the best in the state. That is pretty amazing, and I am proud to call [them] my coworkers. Thank you all so much for your hard work out there, day in and day out.”  

SLOCEA would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our members, and to all the Public Works staff who work at the LOWRF, on this achievement. The staff at the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility work hard to ensure our community remains safe, resilient, and healthy, with the water resources needed to thrive.

By Emily Landis, Executive Director