San Simeon Creek well field

The CCSD strives to provide the highest quality water to its customers. The following will provide you with important information on Cambria's water quality.

Your Drinking Water
The CCSD Water Department pumps water from both the Santa Rosa Creek and San Simeon Creek aquifers. We ensure the delivery of high-quality water throughout the District by continuously testing for a variety of constituents as required by State and Federal regulations. Our technicians perform rigorous testing in the District's State-certified laboratory.

All drinking water, including bottled water, may contain very small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the USEPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

Water Quality Report
To obtain details on Cambria's water quality, click on 2006 Consumer Confidence Report. This annual water quality report is required by the California Department of Health Services and was mailed to all CCSD customers in August 2004.

Cambria Wins Taste Test
In August 2002, Cambria received top honors for water quality in an informal countywide taste test conducted by The Tribune Newspaper. Water from five communities in San Luis Obispo County was tested for clarity, odor and taste by a panel of four local judges. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, individual scores were totaled for a maximum of 40 points.

Rankings
Cambria 35
Paso Robles 33
Morro Bay 31
Pismo Beach 20
San Luis Obispo 19

MtBE Contamination

CCSD Settles MtBE Lawsuit with ChevronTexaco.
At a Closed Session on September 12, 2003, The CCSD Board of Directors unanimously voted to settle the District's MtBE lawsuit with ChevronTexaco. The oil firm has agreed to pay an additional $9.1 million to settle the lawsuit. Funds will be channeled into resolving Cambria's long-term water supply issues and $700,000 will help fund completion of the Cross Town Trail in Cambria.

Click on MtBE Settlement Press Release for additional details on the settlement. 

Since January 2000, the Chevron-Texaco Corporation has been removing MtBE-contaminated groundwater at and around the Chevron gas station on Main Street. Chevron is currently trucking the removed water to a disposal and treatment site in the Los Angeles area.  

In March 2001, two CCSD wells were shut down because of their close proximity to the MtBE plume leaching from the Chevron station. For temporary emergency water replacement, the CCSD also installed a new well and treatment plant upstream of the contamination. The new treatment plant filters and disinfects the groundwater while removing iron and manganese.

Backflow Devices
There are situations where your water use could cause contamination of the town's drinking water supply. An approved backflow device is required if any of the situations below relate to your drinking water:

• Possibility of fertilizer, livestock medication, vaccines, insecticides, weed killers, or any dangerous chemical or material being introduced into water
• Reclaimed water is used
• If you have a well, fire sprinklers or a storage tank
• For more details, please contact the Water Department at 927-6227.