In 2020, the County of San Luis Obispo adopted new, much more stringent requirements for new and replacement onsite water treatment systems (formerly referred to as "septic systems"). Learn about the Local Agency Management Plan (LAMP) which now regulates the use of septic systems in the county, including in Cabrillo Estates.
Below is a recording of the informational meeting held July 25, 2023. The presenter is Michael Sundberg of MicroSepTec, a manufacturer of an advanced onsite wastewater treatment system. We are just beginning to gather information about what is involved in replacing our septic tanks with the county-required systems.
It is important to note there are many more costs involved than Mr. Sundberg mentioned in this recording. His company only manufactures the unit. Each installation is a custom project which would involve permits, design engineering, preparing the location, installing the system and constructing the leach field. After that any cleanup and restoration of driveways, patios and landscape would be an additional cost. Mr. Sundberg cannot estimate these costs for us. It is also important to note that a system will be sized according to the number of bedrooms in a house. Then adjustments may need to be made if there are more or less people using the system.
It's complicated! It is a mini-wastewater system. There are ongoing testing requirements. The systems require maintenance, including some parts that have to be replaced every 5-10 years.
A question we did not think to ask Mr. Sundberg: What happens if a house remains vacant for a period of time. Several of our Cabrillo property owners are part-time residents. We certainly have more to learn.