The average concentration of metals and organic pollutants contained in water entering the Goleta Sanitary System each year. (The data presented with this indicator covers 1985 Ð1997.)

Concentrations of pollutants in influent water may indicate which substances local industries are releasing into the wastewater system. The concentration data helps to determine if the pollutant levels meet federal health standards and other environmental standards. Data may help link other environmental/social problems to pollutants in influent water. Programs and policies may then be implemented to reduce concentrations of pollutants.

The daily average influent flow has been increasing steadily over the past decade. Overall concentrations of heavy metals have lowered since 1990, but there was a sharp increase in copper and zinc in 1997. Organic pollutants rose in 1988 and has remained fairly steady since then.
In 1985, the Goleta Sanitary District established a monitoring program to study ocean currents, plume transport, bacterial die-off rates, and bacteria in shellfish. In 1989, the biological treatment plant began operation. Microorganisms degrade metals in the influent and produce a non-hazardous sludge. Water treatment and monitoring advancements are continuously being made due to the steadily growing list of EPA priority pollutants.