Please continue to check this page for the latest updates regarding the boil water notice.

Laboratory test results confirming that Cambria’s water supply was not contaminated during the recent pressure loss event are posted below.

As a reminder, based on these results and in coordination with the County of San Luis Obispo Environmental Health Department, the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) lifted the boil water notice for all affected customers on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 2:16 p.m.

Laboratory test results have confirmed that Cambria’s water supply was not contaminated during the recent pressure loss event. Based on these results and in coordination with the County of San Luis Obispo Environmental Health Department, the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) has lifted the boil water notice for all affected customers. The water is safe to drink and use as usual.

Residential Water Systems

Because laboratory testing confirmed that no contamination entered the water system, residents do not need to take any action on their private plumbing systems. This includes:

• No need to flush or disinfect water heaters
• No need to replace or clean water filters (such as refrigerator, under-sink, or whole-house filters)
• No need to sanitize any portion of private residential plumbing systems

All residential systems can remain in regular use without any special maintenance.

Dear Cambrians,

Stuart Street Tank Incident – Summary

Update: Laboratory test results have confirmed that Cambria’s water supply was not contaminated during the recent pressure loss event. Based on these results and in coordination with the County of San Luis Obispo Environmental Health Department, the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) has lifted the boil water notice for all affected customers. The water is safe to drink and use as usual.

How We Got Here

Summary – Stuart Street Tank Failure and Boil Water Notice

On the morning of September 12, the Stuart Street Tank experienced an equipment failure caused by a malfunctioning level transducer. The transducer stopped sending accurate readings to the site’s Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). When the signal was lost, the system held the last known tank level instead of dropping as tank levels dropped. This made the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system believe the tank level was stable, and communications were regular when, in fact, the tank was emptying. As the tank continued to drain, it eventually became empty overnight, leading to a loss of pressure in the water distribution system for the affected pressure zone (Zone 2 in Lodge Hill).

When water system pressure drops below safe operating levels, there is an increased risk that contaminants could be drawn into the water system through backflow or leaks. Because of this public health risk, state regulations require the District to issue a boil water notice anytime there is a pressure loss until water quality samples confirm the water is safe to drink.

In response, the CCSD:

• Refilled and repressurized the Stuart Street Tank
• Flushed the water system through fire hydrants
• Issued a boil water notice to all customers in the affected zone
• Conducted door-to-door notifications and provided bottled water at the Cambria Veterans Hall
• Replaced the tank’s level transducer, PLC power supply, and network switch
• Implemented new flatline and watchdog alarms as part of the Phase 3 SCADA upgrade to an Allen-Bradley PLC platform
• Added advanced level-monitoring algorithms to prevent similar failures in the future

The District understands the inconvenience this incident has caused and appreciates the community’s patience and cooperation during the response. Protecting public health and maintaining reliable water service remain our highest priorities, and the corrective measures implemented will help prevent a recurrence.

We extend our sincere thanks to CCSD staff who stepped up—many on their days off—to assist with this emergency response, and to the Cambria Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for providing vital support when it was needed most.

Sincerely,

Matthew McElhenie

https://www.cambriacsd.org/9-13-2025-letter-from-the-general-manager

On 9/12/2025 you were notified of the need to boil/disinfect all tap water used for drinking and cooking purposes. The Cambria CSD Water System in conjunction with the State Water Resources Control Board San Luis Obispo County Health Department has determined that, through abatement of the health hazard and comprehensive testing of the water, your water is safe to drink. It is no longer necessary to boil your tap water or for you to consume bottled water.

For more information call:

• Water Utility contact: Cody Meeks, Water Systems Superintendent, (805) 927-6227 2150 Main St. #1-A, Cambria, CA 93428
• State Water Resources Control Board: (805) 566-1326
• Local Environmental Health Jurisdiction: San Luis Obispo County at (805) 781-5544

If you have questions about other uses of tap water, such as bathing and dishwashing, please review the guidance linked in the Water Boil Notice or the “What to Do During a Boil Water Advisory” fact sheet provided below.

We truly appreciate your patience as we work to ensure the safety of our water supply. As mentioned in the boil notice, we will let you know as soon as test results confirm that the water is safe to drink and boiling is no longer needed. We are currently awaiting lab results and will share an update as soon as they become available. In the meantime, for guidance on using tap water for things like bathing or dishwashing, please refer to the Water Boil Notice linked below.

Two pallets of bottled water were delivered and have now been picked up by community members affected by the boil water notice. This will be the last supply available for the remainder of the night.

The bottled water supply has been depleted. A new shipment is expected to arrive in about one hour at the Cambria Veterans Memorial Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428. If you are affected by the boil water notice, please stop by to pick some up.

Bottled water will arrive in approximately 15 minutes at the Cambria Veterans Memorial Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428. If you are affected by the boil water notice, please stop by and pick some up.

The San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services (OES) has launched a new interactive tool that makes it easier for residents to check their service location and see if they’re in an affected area. This tool improves communication and helps residents quickly confirm whether boil water notices or other advisories apply to their property. Enter your address at the link below to find out if your property is impacted.

Interactive Map Link: 

https://slocooes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=e3b584fb770e438689b4483821187486

Due to the recent water outage, which occurred on 9/12/2025, the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, the San Luis Obispo County Health Department, and the Cambria Water System are advising residents of Cambria to only use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution to avoid stomach or intestinal illness. Please refer to the attached map. The red area indicates the affected Boil Notice Area, while the blue area and all other unmarked areas are unaffected.

We will inform you when tests show that water is safe to drink, and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem within 48 hours.

If you have questions about other uses of tap water, such as bathing and dish washing, please call your water system or read this guidance: https://waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/notices/cdc_wtd_bw_advisory.docx

Potable water will be available within the next two (2) hours at the following location: Cambria Veterans’ Memorial Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428.

If you are concerned about your health or the health of a family member, contact your health care provider or the San Luis Obispo County Health Department.

• Water Utility contact: Cody Meeks, Water Systems Superintendent, (805) 927-6227 2150 Main St. #1-A, Cambria, CA 93428
• State Water Resources Control Board District Office: (805) 566-1326
• Local Environmental Health Jurisdiction: San Luis Obispo County at (805) 781-5544