Sierra Club's Questions

By Karen Venditti

The Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club invited candidates for the LOCSD to answer the following questions for their consideration of endorsement. The following are excerpts from Karen's statements.

• Been a phone volunteer with Pacific Wildlife Care, and helped with strategic planning and fund-raising efforts.
• Served on SLO County's Technical Advisory Committee for the Los Osos wastewater treatment project, where I have emphasized the necessity of triple bottom-line sustainability + environmental, social, and economic.
• Supported the Appropriate Technologies Coalition's efforts to educate the public through various events.
• Supported SLO Green Build in the preparation of a gray water reuse manual, funded by a grant from Patagonia.
• Helped organize and publicize the water conservation event, Saving Our Water... One Drop at a Time.
• Helped organize, publicize and present the Collection Systems Town Hall.
  3. How do you see the future role of the CSD in the management of a wastewater treatment system? The wastewater project is currently under the purview of SLO County. I believe one of the most important roles of the CSD during this time is to work collaboratively and in partnership with the county, constructively representing the citizens and the environmental interests of Los Osos to help shape the most sustainable solution possible from a watershed perspective. This includes being an advocate for environmentally sustainable technologies that minimize the carbon footprint, use of renewable energy, effluent reuse that contributes to a balanced basin, and responsible treatment and reuse of biosolids.
  4. How would you protect the water supply? Do you support water conservation efforts by residents and businesses? How would you price water to encourage conservation? ? I strongly believe that individuals and communities must adopt lifestyles that allow us to live within the means of our resources. This means that every option for conserving water, reusing treated effluent on crops and irrigation, and recycling rain water and gray water should be fully implemented before other options are considered. This includes: Working with the water purveyors and government and regulatory agencies to achieve a balanced basin; structure rates to reward water conservation and strongly discourage overuse; engage and educate the public on what we can do as individuals, businesses, and collectively as a CSD; provide information and incentives for people to install drought-resistant landscaping and drip irrigation; enact local ordinances to support water conservation; provide funds for storm water catchment to recharge the basin and protect the bay; seek grant funding for rainwater harvesting and gray water reuse; support Low Impact Development in all CSD-related projects and ordinances.
  5. Do you have any other ideas for a future water source for Los Osos? We cannot depend on outside sources, such as water from the state or Nacimiento + they are not reliable, affordable, or necessarily available to us. Nor should we resort to desalination unless and until all other options have fully implemented. Our future water supply depends upon conservation and preventing further sea water intrusion.
  6. How do you see yourself interacting with the Coastal Commission and other government agencies? Effective leadership requires balance. That includes respectful communication as well as firm advocacy for critical environmental and social issues. For the CSD, that means working with the Coastal Commission and other government agencies as a credible representative, someone who genuinely listens and seeks common ground, someone who can articulate the concerns of the community and be an advocate, someone who does her homework, sticks to the facts, and is unafraid to stand firm.