Rincon Moves Forward

The long-awaited approval of the South Coast Beach Communities septic-to-sewer project - which will remove septic systems from seven miles of coastline in the Santa Barbara south coast, including the Rincon - has happened!

Furthermore, the 30-day period for any lawsuit to be filed against the project has passed.


During its September 19, 2006 hearing, the Carpinteria Sanitary District (CSD)approved and certified the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the project, which includes not only Rincon, but but Sandyland, Sand Point and Padaro Lane, too. CSD also approved the EIR and its supplement for Beach Club Road, another coastal community off Padaro Lane that has not participated in the eight-year-long septic-to-sewer process as yet.

CSD has begun assessment and annexation processes, and homeowner balloting is expected by Spring, 2007. Sewer construction itself is expected to take six months once it starts, and it is hoped that the entire project can be up and running by the end of 2008.

Heal the Ocean is actively working with a state granting agency to get funding help for the Rincon portion of the sewer project. The Rincon qualifies for a grant of up to 25% of construction cost because Rincon has been listed as 303d impaired, and has received failing grades on Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card.

The homeowners within the project areas have generously supported Heal the Ocean's Indemnity Trust Fund, which was created to pay the legal and technical expenses incurred by CSD during the eight-years-long process that finally culminated with the unanimous CSD vote on September 19 to proceed with bringing public sewer to the Rincon and its neighboring beach communities. The arrangement was created because the agency cannot spend money outside its ratepayer area, which does not yet include all of the beach communities seeking to upgrade their systems. To date, HTO has advanced over $150,000 for EIR work, legal help and other related work.

These funds have come to us from generous homeowners within the project areas, as well as HTO board members, Jack Johnson, and the surfers of the Rincon Clean Water Classic.