Central Coast Blue
Project Discussion and
Workshop
2 1
2 3
4 Project Update
Council Q&A
Funding & Financing
Plan
Agenda
Water Supply & Demand 5
6 7
Council Q&A
Public Comment
Schedule Update
3 WATER SUPPLY
AND DEMAND
4 Water Supply
Lopez Reservoir Groundwater State Water
Full Entitlement: 896 AFY Full Entitlement: 700 AFY Full Entitlement: 1,240 AFY Total Entitlement: 2,836 AFY
5 Water Supply Vulnerabilities
Lopez Reservoir Groundwater State Water
•Active litigation
threatens supply
•Municipal reductions in
recent droughts
•Seawater intrusion detected
at monitoring wells in 2009
•Full entitlement cannot be
pumped without negative
impacts
•5% delivered by State in
2021 & 2022
•13-22% reduction in
deliveries projected over
next 20 years
6 Groundwater
Municipal Pumping from NCMA
Data Source: GSI; Northern Cities Management Area TG.
1986 2024
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Seawater Intrusion
Detected - 2009
7 -8
-6
-4
-2
0 2
4 Fe
e
t
f
r
o
m
T
h
r
e
s
h
o
l
d
Groundwater Variability
Deep Well Index Hydrograph
Deep Well Index
8-Day Lopez Pipeline Shutdown
Threshold
Datum: NAVD88. Data Source: GSI, Northern Cities Management Area TG.
April 2013 May 2013March 2013
8 Lopez Lake
Historical Reservoir Storage
Data Source: SLO County Department of Water Resources
1969 2025
Th
o
u
s
a
n
d
A
c
r
e
F
e
e
t
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0 10
20 30
40 50
Storage
Municipal
Reductions
10-Yr Avg
%
F
u
l
l
9 State Water Project
Final Table A Allocation by Year
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Allocation 10-yr Average
Data Source: California Department of Water Resources
10 Water Supply Model
•Computational model
•Incorporates historical and
predicted hydrology
•Enables analysis of
operational strategies
11 Water Demand Assumptions
0 500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
De
m
a
n
d
(
A
F
Y
)
0 500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 2055
De
m
a
n
d
(
A
F
Y
)
Historical Water Demand Projected Water Demand
12 Model Assumptions & Usage Priority
1. Groundwater
•Recommended pumping per NCMA draft Adaptive Management Plan
2. Lake Lopez
•Zone 3 contract changes allowing carryover storage
•Preliminary injunction impacts
3. State Water Project
•Future allocations per Department of Water Resources 2023 State Water Project Delivery Capability Report
•Considers climate change with 75% hydrology
13 Lopez Lake
Historical Reservoir Levels Considering Preliminary Injunction Data Source: SLO County Department of Water Resources
Municipal
Reductions
Water Quality
Issues
No
Deliveries
2011 2024
Full Lake
Historical
Lake Level
Modeled
Lake Level
27 months
No deliveries
Reduced deliveries
10 months 40 months
Water quality issues
15 months 27 months
15 months
2016 2020
14 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored Lopez Water Lost/Spilled Demand
15 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored Lopez Water Lost/Spilled Annual Groundwater Pumping Demand
16 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored Lopez Water Lost/Spilled Annual Groundwater Pumping Lopez Utilized Demand
17 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored Lopez Water Lost/Spilled Annual Groundwater Pumping Lopez Utilized SWP Utilized Demand
18 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored SWP Lost/Spilled Annual Groundwater Pumping Lopez Utilized SWP Utilized Demand
19 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored SWP Annual Groundwater Pumping Lopez Utilized SWP Utilized Stored SWP Utilized Demand
20 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored SWP Annual Groundwater Pumping Lopez Utilized SWP Utilized Stored SWP Utilized Deficit Demand
21 Water Supply Model
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
Ac
r
e
-Fe
e
t
Stored SWP Annual Groundwater Pumping IPR Water Utilized Lopez Utilized SWP Utilized Stored SWP Utilized Deficit Demand Central
Coast
Blue
22 Water Supply Model Summary
•Model projects significant water supply shortages
•Central Coast Blue significantly reduces/eliminates water supply deficits in most years
•Central Coast Blue helps mitigate vulnerabilities of other supplies Provides additional base supply
Allows for surface water storage
23 PROJECT
UPDATE
24 Timeline
Spring
•Cost estimate update
•Statewide grant
reductions
Summer
Joint Powers Authority
reorganization
Fall
Feasibility
Analysis
evaluation
Spring
•Federal $16M grant proceeding
•State $8M grant executed
•State $15M grant award and
$28M low-interest loan
2024 2025
Summer
Council update
25 Feasibility Analysis Goals
Achieve water reliability and
resilience benefits for Pismo Beach
Secure grant funding and
low -interest financing
Demonstrate technical and
economic feasibility
26 Initial Revised Project Concept
Total Yield 350 AFY
Injection Wells 1
Monitoring Wells 2
Pipelines 2,500 LF
AFY: Acre-Feet per Year; LF: Linear Feet
27 Project
Location
Imagery Credits: Google Earth.
28 2024
Project
Scope
Imagery Credits: Google Earth.
29 Revised
Project
Scope
Imagery Credits: Google Earth.
30 Project
Location
Imagery Credits: Vexcel Imaging; Microsoft.
31 Project
Location
Sewer
Credits: Vexcel Imaging; Microsoft.
32 Conceptual
AWPF Layout
Credits: Vexcel Imaging; Microsoft.
33 Conceptual AWPF Layout
34 Conceptual AWPF Layout
35 Conceptual AWPF Layout
36 Groundwater Conditions Without Central Coast Blue
Model-simulated TDS Concentration in Model Layer 8, Scenario 10. Source: Geoscience.
37Model-simulated TDS Concentration in Model Layer 8, Scenario 11. Source: Geoscience.
Groundwater Conditions With Central Coast Blue
38 Project Comparison
$10M
Component Phase 1 (2024)Phase 1 (Current)
Treatment Capacity 1 MGD 0.35 to 0.7 MGD
Total Yield 900 AFY 350 to 600 AFY
Pismo Beach Yield 350 AFY 350 to 600 AFY
Injection Wells 4 1
Monitoring Wells 8 2
Pipelines 17,000 LF 2,500 LF
MGD: Million Gallons per Day; AFY: Acre-Feet per Year; LF: Linear Feet
39 Feasibility Analysis Results
Provides water supply benefits for Pismo Beach
Protects Pismo Beach groundwater production
Satisfies Groundwater Grant requirements
Supports funding commitments and pursuits
Demonstrates technical and economic feasibility
Central Coast Blue is Foundational
for the City’s Water Resilience
Financial Stewardship
Increased ReliabilityNew Water Supply
Provides reliable water supply
that isn’t dependent on rainfall
State and federal co-investment in
community resilience and vitality
Reuse creates a new local water
supply to improve resilience
Foundational Supply
Reduces reliance on
imported water
Allows for active management of
water supply portfolio
Local Control
Adaptability
Ability to adapt to changing
future conditions
41 COUNCIL Q&A
42 FUNDING AND
FINANCING PLAN
43 Cost Estimate
Component Estimate
Advanced Water Purification Facility $20–34M
Pipelines & Wells $8–11M
Implementation
(engineering, permitting, environmental compliance, construction management, legal services, property acquisition)
$10M
Contingency
(unforeseen conditions & changes)$3–4M
Total Estimate Range $41 to $59M
Notes: Costs rounded up to nearest million.Estimate prepared in Dec 2024 based on Feasibility Analysis conceptual design. Costs are in Dec 2024 dollars, escalated at 2.8% annually to an assumed midpoint of construction based on construction start date of April 2026. Uncertainties including, but not limited to, tariffs, changing market conditions, supply chain impacts, and labor shortages are not reflected in the estimate.
44 Funding Progress
UP TO
$16.5 million
Title XVI WIIN
Act Program
$8 millionProposition 1
Groundwater
Grant Program
Executed
Agreements
Identified
for Funding
Clean Water State
Revolving Fund
Water Recycling
Funding Program $15 million
UP TO
$28.4 million
GRANTS
GRANT
LOAN
45 Rate Projections
$10M
•Current rate study extends through FY 2028
•Current rates support Central Coast Blue debt service and operating costs
•Future rate adjustments will depend on system-wide needs
46 SCHEDULE
UPDATE
47 2026 2027 2028 20292025
Project Schedule
FINAL DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING
CONTRACT
BID AND
AWARD
Startup
Implementation
Planning
48 NEXT STEPS
49 1
2 3
Develop community engagement plan
September Council meeting
Next Steps
Develop project delivery plan
50 COUNCIL Q&A
51 PUBLIC
COMMENT
52 COUNCIL Q&A
53 THANK YOU