5/30/2025 Letter from the General Manager

Dear Cambrians,

Since I was hired, I am excited to say this is our 100th Letter to the community. These letters have served as a vital tool to keep you informed, share updates, and provide transparency into the operations and direction of the Cambria Community Services District, something that had never been done before. From project updates and board meetings to strategic planning, each message has been crafted to keep you connected and engaged with what’s happening in Cambria.

Thank you for reading, supporting, staying involved, and spotting my typos faster than spellcheck on a double espresso.

Administrative & Finance Departments

Coming Soon: EyeOnWater for Cambria Residents

Track your water use. Catch leaks early. Save money. Help conserve.

The Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) is rolling out EyeOnWater, a free, easy-to-use digital platform that will allow customers to monitor their water use in near real-time. This tool is part of our upgrade to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), a smart system that automatically sends water usage data from your meter to the District securely and accurately.

Once the system is fully up and running, CCSD customers can view their water use in 15-minute intervals, detect leaks quickly, set usage goals, and more—all from a smartphone or computer.

What EyeOnWater Will Let You Do:

See Your Usage in Detail
View your water use by the hour, day, week, or month. Interactive graphs make it easy to spot patterns or high-use days.
Get Leak Alerts Instantly
Suppose EyeOnWater detects continuous or unusually high usage (like from a running toilet or broken irrigation line). In that case, you’ll get a text or email alert before it shows up on your bill.
Track Trends and Set Goals
Compare usage over time and set personal water use targets. You’ll get alerts when approaching or exceeding your goal, helping you avoid surprises and conserve more.
Access Anytime, Anywhere
Whether you're at home or away, you can check your water usage at any time via the mobile app or online portal.

What’s Happening Now:

CCSD is installing (AMI) “endpoints” on water meters throughout Cambria. These devices transmit usage data to our system and are necessary for EyeOnWater to function. Once all meters are upgraded, there will be a short integration period during which we will test the system, confirm accuracy, and activate customer accounts.

When we’re ready, we’ll notify customers with instructions on how to sign up and connect to EyeOnWater. All you’ll need is your ZIP code and CCSD water account number.

Facilities & Resources Department

Maintenance Technician Recruitment

The Cambria Community Services District is currently accepting applications to establish a hiring list for the position of Maintenance Technician in the Facilities & Resources Department. This recruitment will remain open until the District’s needs are met. For first consideration, apply immediately. For more information, click here.

Cambria Fire Department

Meet the Fire Chief

On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Fire Chief Michael Burkey will be working out of the Cambria Veterans' Memorial Hall and would love to meet you and hear your thoughts on anything related to the Cambria Fire Department.

A Summer Safety Message from the Cambria Fire Department

As we welcome the warmth and excitement of summer here in beautiful Cambria, I’d like to remind our community to stay safe while enjoying the season, especially as we approach the 4th of July.

Fireworks are strictly prohibited in Cambria and throughout San Luis Obispo County. Even “safe and sane” fireworks pose a significant risk in our fire-prone region. Dry grass, hot temperatures, and coastal winds create a dangerous mix that can turn sparks into serious wildfires in seconds.

This 4th of July, let’s celebrate responsibly. Enjoy local events, gatherings with friends and family, and leave the fireworks to the professionals. The safety of our residents, visitors, and first responders depends on all of us doing our part.

Additional Summer Safety Tips:

Campfires: Only use designated fire rings where allowed, and never leave fires unattended.
Grilling: Keep grills away from structures and dry vegetation.
Emergency Preparedness: Review your family’s evacuation plan and sign up for emergency alerts through ReadySLO.org.

Thank you for helping us protect our community. On behalf of the entire Cambria Fire Department, I wish you a safe and joyful summer.

2025 Fire Hazard Fuel Reduction Program (FHFRP)

July 1, 2025 is the deadline to abate and remove the fuels and vegetation for vacant parcels requiring abatement.

Each year, the Cambria CSD Fire Department conducts a Fire Hazard Fuel Reduction Program (FHFRP) to abate vegetation and hazardous wildland fire fuels. The FHFRP is carried out pursuant to the authority contained in Government Code Sections 61100(d) and (t) and Health and Safety Code Sections 14875 et seq. and is initiated by the CCSD Board of Directors adoption of a resolution declaring the vegetation and hazardous wildland fire fuels on the identified properties to be a public nuisance.

This annual requirement is an effort to reduce the fire hazard caused by the accumulation of combustible materials on vacant parcels. Keep in mind that the forest helps define Cambria, and it is important that we reduce the fire hazard without destroying its ability to regenerate. Make every effort to protect seedlings, young native trees, ferns, and bushes by marking them prior to cutting. Property owners are required to clear all combustible vegetation and/or debris from their property by the deadline of July 1, 2025.

The following are vacant parcel guidelines to help you comply:

Remove combustible construction materials and trash from the property.
Trim weeds and annual grasses to 4 inches in height. Avoid exposing bare soil or creating a situation that would encourage erosion.
All downed trees and rounds or dead limbs within 30 feet of any structure must be removed. Tree stumps fallen over shall be cut and retain no more than six feet of the log within this 30-foot zone.
All downed trees beyond 30 feet from any structure 12 inches in diameter or greater may remain on the parcel. However, the entire trunk must be completely on the ground. Materials less than 12 inches in diameter shall be cut and removed from the property.
All standing dead trees that pose a safety risk to improved property and/or infrastructure shall be removed.
Remove ladder vegetation from under trees and shrubs, maintaining 6 feet of vertical clearance for trees greater than 20 feet in height.
All Poison Oak, Scotch/Irish/French or other broom-type plants, Pampas grass, Jubata grass, and (Crocosmia) also known as Fire Weed, shall be removed. Isolated specimens may be left with greater than ten (10) feet separation, and all dead material removed.

For more information, please click here.

Water & Wastewater Departments

Please refer to the May 8, 2025 - Board Meeting agenda packet to read the latest utilities report.

EV 580 Case Tractor

Utility staff have been seeking a replacement tractor for the Water Department‘s 1989 Case 580 Backhoe. The cost of maintaining the thirty-five-year-old tractor and its reliability are concerning. Some of the tractor's systems, such as hydraulic lines, can be replaced. However, most of the manufacturers' replacement parts for the tractor are no longer in production. Utility staff have looked at a range of options and proposals for a replacement. A new similar tractor with a diesel motor would cost $173,316.00 Additionally, staff evaluated the EV tractor option. While considerably more costly ($415,666.68), the EV tractor option has significant “voucher” funding, which would reduce the overall cost of the machine by approximately $290,000 (311,025.00 with tax credit). Thus, the “out-the-door” cost would be approximately $104,641.68—a $68,674.32 savings compared to replacing the current tractor with a similar, diesel-powered version. Recently, due to the tariffs imposed on imports, the price of the new Case 580EV Loader/Backhoe has increased approximately 3% since the District's previous research. Staff has contacted several agencies that have utilized the Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) Voucher Incentive Project and acquired the EV 580 Case tractor. All responses from participating agencies have been positive and reassuring.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB), in partnership with CALSTART, launched the CORE Voucher Incentive Project to accelerate the purchase of zero-emission off-road equipment in California. CORE, equivalent to the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), is a project intended to encourage California companies and governmental agencies to purchase or lease currently commercialized zero-emission off-road freight equipment by providing a streamlined voucher process to offset the higher cost of such technologies. CORE voucher amounts are based on the incremental cost difference between traditional equipment and new zero-emission alternatives. Additional funding is available for charging infrastructure.

On May 28, 2025, the Board of Directors adopted Resolution 27-2025, amending the Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Final Budget to include an additional $115,000 in contingency funds. This amendment provides flexibility to cover any unforeseen cost increases and allows the District to move forward with the purchase of the EV 580 Case tractor.

Water Systems Operator T3/D2 Recruitment

The Cambria Community Services District is currently accepting applications for the Water Systems Operator T3/D2 position. For more information, click here.

Farewell and Thank You to Andy Lyman

We want to share that Andy Lyman has left the Cambria Community Services District after nine years of dedicated service to accept a new position at another agency.

During his time with the CCSD, Andy made lasting contributions through his commitment, professionalism, and strong work ethic. His efforts have had a meaningful impact on our team and the Cambria community.

We thank Andy for his many years of service and wish him all the best in this exciting new chapter of his career.

CCSD Board of Directors Meeting

Regular Board Meeting

📅 Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025

⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation:
✉️ Written comments may be submitted via email to boardcomment@cambriacsd.org or through the submission portal anytime before the Board meeting.

CCSD Standing Committee Meetings

Finance Committee Meeting

📅 Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428