Climate Change and Wastewater Management: A Need for Action

HTO’s chief concern about Sea Level Rise is the immediate need to protect coastal wastewater infrastructure. HTO has been researching the potential impacts of sea level rise (SLR) on wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). All WWTPs are built next to the water for ease of disposal, whether ocean, creek, river, or wetlands. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy inundated wastewater treatment plants on the East Coast, releasing billions of gallons of raw sewage into towns and beaches, and into the ocean. The Goleta Sanitary District (GSD), on the Santa Barbara County shoreline, has already sustained significant stormwater assault. In January 2019, the GSD Vault, the critical infrastructure located on Goleta Beach that houses the connection of the outfall pipe to the treatment plant, was undermined during a high tide event and had to be shored up by emergency placement of boulders.

Heal the Ocean has been working to focus attention on this issue, and the need for wastewater treatment plants to plan for adaptation to rising sea levels and more intense storms. We provided input to the City of Santa Barbara on its Climate Action Plan, recommending that they treat this issue with the urgency that it requires, and we are also making input to the State’s Safeguarding California Plan to ensure that it adequately covers wastewater vulnerability.

We recognize the planning and forecasting that occurs with climate change adaptation will take much time, money, and planning. However, we want to stress, that there is, in Santa Barbara County, a list of issues already studied, with time and money already spent—to fix, remedy, and pay for, some of the situations we know are coming. Including:

• Disallowing building in flood zones (including airports);

• Cleaning up toxic pollution in groundwater, which is expected to rise along with sea levels;

• Halting septic system installation in flood zones (and removing those that are already in high groundwater);

• Changing permitting requirements in the coastal zone (require setbacks, pilings, etc.)

• Starting cost feasibility and preliminary engineering to waterproof, raise, or relocate vulnerable wastewater treatment plants, which will otherwise flood;

Heal the Ocean has had this view since 2014, and we continue to campaign for these, and other preventative measures, to prepare for things to come.