Environmental Programs

Street Sweeping

Since 1963, Goleta West Sanitary District has been providing street sweeping service for Isla Vista and western Goleta.

The District was the first South Coast agency to implement a street sweeping program that removes trash and toxins from storm water runoff that flows into our creeks, wetlands, ocean and beaches. Unlike many government agencies, Goleta West owns and operates a street sweeper, making this service very reliable and flexible. Eastern Goleta street sweeping is contracted out by the City of Goleta.

Go to our Street Sweeping page for schedule and more information.

No Drugs Down the Drain

Goleta West Sanitary District supports efforts to safely dispose of unwanted medicines (also known as pharmaceuticals), keeping them out of our waste and water stream.

Once it was common practice to flush prescription medicines down the toilet. Your doctor or pharmacist may have directed you to do this. We now know that flushing medications is bad for our environment – affecting water quality and the health of our ocean and beaches.

Now you can drop your no longer needed medicines at one of many drop off stations around the county. Drop off stations are located at each of the Sheriff’s nine substations, located throughout the county. For more info on pharmaceutical disposal and drop off sites visit: Santa Barbara County Med-Project.

Mutt Mitts

Goleta West Sanitary District annually funds the Isla Vista Recreation & Park District’s Mutt Mitt dispensaries. Mutt Mitts keep neighborhoods clean while protecting the environment. (Of course, they also come in handy when walking your dog!) Check out the dispensaries located in parks and other public places throughout the community.

Hazardous Waste Disposal

Goleta West supports continuing efforts by the County of Santa Barbara and UCSB to safely collect hazardous materials, keeping potential contaminants from entering our waste and water stream.

In California, it is illegal and unsafe to put hazardous waste in regular trash. Goleta West Sanitary District supports efforts to keep paint and automotive products, aerosols, batteries, and pesticides out of our sewer system.

Take hazardous waste to the free UCSB Environmental Health & Safety Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center, located on campus along Mesa Road, east of Stadium Way. For more information go to www.lessismore.org.

Green Business Program

Goleta West supports Santa Barbara County's efforts to recognize local businesses going beyond required measures to serve as models of sustainable business.

Goleta West Sanitary District is a proud partner in the County of Santa Barbara’s Green Business Program. This program supports public/private efforts to share information and improve “best practices” with regards to protecting the environment and managing industry in ways that are sustainable as well as profitable. Also, it is important to publicly acknowledge industry excellence and share success stories with other businesses.

For more information go to www.greenbizsbc.org.

FOG – Fats, Oils, and Greases

Goleta West supports efforts to keep its wastewater system free of fats, oils, and greases. In order to prevent blockages to sewer lines or pollution to creeks, wetlands and the ocean, the District pursues ongoing communications and education with its residential and commercial customers.

Every year Goleta West reaches out to customers to explain the benefits of keeping fats, oils, and greases out of home and commercial pipes and the community’s waste stream. Fats, oils, and greases are a byproduct of cooking and are found in such things as meat fats, cooking oil, lard, and shortening, butter and margarine. When grease is washed down the drain, it sticks to the inside of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets.) Over time, it builds up and can block an entire pipe.

Garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the pipes, they only shred it into smaller pieces. Commercial additives, including detergents that claim to dissolve grease, may pass it down the line and cause problems away from the source. But the results of a grease-blocked sewer pipe can be sewage overflows in your home or neighborhood resulting in expensive and unpleasant cleanups; possible exposure with disease-causing organisms; or an increase in maintenance costs at GWSD.

How to dispose of your FOG:

Pour FOG into a covered disposable container—such as glass, plastic or a sturdy plastic bag. Store it in the freezer and then put it in the trash after it has hardened.
Use paper towels to wipe greasy dishes before washing. Put the paper towels in the trash.
Use sink strainers to catch food waste.
Put food scraps in a compost bin or in the trash.
FOG waste should only be put in the trash.

For more information on GWSD’s program see pages 13 – 15 of our Sewer System Management Plan below.

191126-Complete-Final-SSMP-revise-v6 769.44 KBHOT

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Adopt-a-Block

Goleta West Sanitary District has funded Isla Vista Recreation & Parks District’s Adopt-a-Block program since 1996. The successful partnership between the two local agencies, the Isla Vista business community and hundreds of volunteers has resulted in over 1.3 million pounds of trash being picked up by hand from crowded county streets. Further efforts include graffiti abatement and environmental education.

For more information, visit the IVRPD website. Adopt-A-Block in the news:

The Daily Nexus: Deltopia Clean-Up Restores Faith in I.V.
The Mesa Paper: "Indeed, there’s a good side of Isla Vista" (page 1, below)
The Mesa Paper: "Indeed, there’s a good side of Isla Vista" (page 2, below)