"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."   
Robert Swan, polar Arctic explorer and environmental activist

The mission of the Goleta Sanitary District is to protect public health and the environment. This means that we are committed to making sure that the processes we use to treat wastewater are not only consistent with best practices in our field, but that we look beyond those best practices to find innovative solutions, explore new developments, and constantly think outside the box.  Beyond treating wastewater, we believe that sustainable operations means becoming energy self-sufficient. We are nearing the completion of Phase 1 of the Biosolids and Energy Strategic Plan, which added a new digester, a co-generation unit. We have also reduced our greenhouse gas emissions through process improvements since 2014, averaging a reduction of 2 million pounds of greenhouse gases a year!

Our commitment to environmental protection goes beyond the treatment processes.  The District has taken steps including: installing low-flow showers, toilets, and faucets; using recycled (post-consumer) paper products for all business operations; tracking and posting of monthly electricity bills for staff to review; and creating a commuter incentive program. These steps help reduce our carbon footprint, save water, and minimize electricity usage. We continue to monitor ways in which our staff and processes can be fine-tuned to maximize energy sustainability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and take opportunities to positively impact the environment. Our actions reflect a core value of the District and demonstrate our commitment to being good stewards of our environment. We are eager to share these values with our community and encourage residents to learn what actions they can take to help.

 Wastewater Treatment Process

The simplified infographic below shows how the District collects, cleans, disinfects, and recaptures valuable resources from wastewater using three types of processes: physical, biological and chemical. First, the wastewater flows through 135 miles of underground pipes in our collection system (from your house) to the treatment plant. There are two pump stations (not pictured) that help a small portion of the wastewater flow to the plant, most of the wastewater flows by gravity! From there, the physical process begins in the headworks and primary clarifiers, and continues through the facility. It takes about 8 to 12 hours for the process to turn wastewater into either recycled water for landscape irrigation, or treated water, which flows out to the ocean, one mile of Goleta Beach at a depth of 92 feet. 

The physical processes are shown in orange lettering, biological processes are in blue, and chemical processes are shown in red. Biosolids processing is shown in white lettering. We recapture safe biosolids from the process for  use as soil amendments.