Board of Supervisors Approves Full Circle Design Update

Special Districts Administrator Robin Ruddock Borre, who joined the County of Lake government and was featured in our July 2024 edition, updated the Lake County Board of Supervisors on the status of the full circle effluent pipeline project, which refers to the wastewater treated effluent (gray water) that would complete the pipeline to the Geysers from Lakeport and Kelseyville.

Borre explained, “the full circle original plan takes the effluent from all the different wastewater systems. It basically takes the pipeline all the way up to the geysers, so it currently goes from the Northwest plant to Clearlake Oaks, on to the Southeast plant, and then it goes around down to Middletown, and then up to the geysers.” She clarified “it currently does not include Lakeport or Kelseyville. [This] agreement would update the 2004 plan to look for new technology and check the pipeline locations, because the [roadways have] changed somewhat over the last 20 years.”

Borre also emphasized the agreement would provide the opportunity “to study and see where the pipeline would be, and what it would take to make the full circle around the lake. [This update] was [supported] by Congressman Mike Thompson specifically for this purpose, [with] Community Project Funding.” Borre is interested in looking at how to make the full circle happen, and also to look at possible tertiary treatment in Kelseyville, and to compare the studies. The studies will be instrumental in determining which option is best for the County.

Supervisor Moke Simon added, “This is a Community Project Funding that we asked [for] from Congressman Thompson. Just like we had to rebuild the sewer to rebuild the community of Anderson Springs as we move through that process, resiliency is a part of this conversation also.” Supervisor Bruno Sabatier noted, “I’m going to echo the sentiment shared by Supervisor Simon…those living on the lakeshore, are [affected], and so is the lake, potentially. The effluent pipeline was ahead of its time, we have to move full circle on that rather than stopping.”

Supervisor Jessica Pyska initiated the motion: “I move that we approve the agreement between the County of Lake on behalf of LACOSAN and the Jacobs Engineering Group for engineering and design service for the full circle effluent project update to the 2004 preliminary design report.”