San Luis Obispo, CA -- A proposed state policy on septic system management is an improvement on initial draft rules, according to city officials, real estate agents and property owners, but they also told state water officials yesterday that they still have concerns about its cost and possible restrictions. The new policy replaces a 2008 proposal, which was criticized as too restrictive and expensive.

The new policy eliminates several unpopular provisions from the original, including mandatory domestic water well testing and mandatory solids testing for septic tanks. It allows regional water quality control boards to adopt local programs tailored to meet local conditions. This is important to Atascadero because the city has more than 5,000 septic systems.

Meanwhile, state water officials have placed a building moratorium on most of Los Osos, called a prohibition zone, and the county is set to start installing a sewer system. The new policy would not change the prohibition zone.