Wastewater 101 - Citizens' Academy
We are known by many names, the poop plant, the agency behind the wall, OCSD (our former name), but our real name is Orange County Sanitation District. But you can call us by our nickname OC San. We just recently changed our name to OC San to better represent who we are.
The whole point of this Wastewater 101 - Citizens' Academy is because we want you to get to know us, the real us. As the regional wastewater treatment agency responsible for safely collecting, treating and disposing the wastewater generated by 2.6 million people living in a 479-square-mile area of central and northwest Orange County, there are so many pieces of what we do. This Academy will breakdown all pieces of OC San so that you can walk away with a better understanding of what we do, how we do it and why we do it.
Through four workshops we aim to do just that. Each workshop will be led by an OC San expert who will guide participants through the workshop and answer questions during the Q&A section.
Participants who attend all workshops will have successfully completed the entire Wastewater 101 - Citizens' Academy and will receive a certificate of completion at the Board of Directors Meeting.
The Academy has received numerous awards from various organizations like:
The 2026 session of Wastewater 101 has finished. If you would like to be notified of the upcoming session, please fill out our Interest Form below.
FAQ's
Please email: forinformation@ocsan.govÂ
If you are unable to attend all four workshops, please contact forinformation@ocsan.gov for information on future workshops.
All attendees will receive a certificate of completion after attending all four workshops that will be presented at a Board of Directors Meeting.Â
All the Academy workshops will be held virtually.
The in-person portion of the Academy consists of a graduation ceremony at a Board of Directors Meeting and a tour of OC San's facilities (both optional). Â
The best price, FREE! There is no fee or added cost to participate.
Our next Academy will be held in 2027. Please fill out the interest form to receive more information.Â
Attendees must be 18 years and older for this Academy.Â
Yes, there will be an OC San Tour. Date is TBD and further details will be provided for those registered for the next session.Â
OC San is committed to providing a valuable educational experience that focuses on learning the importance of wastewater treatment in protecting public health and the environment. To encourage learning, OC San offers a Wastewater 101 - Citizens' Academy. This academy features four workshops: Who We Are and What We Do, Protecting Our Environment: Fundamentals of Environmental Services, OC San: The Nuts and Bolts, and Building for the Future: OC San's Capital Improvement Program and Our People. Each workshop will be led by OC San experts who will guide participants through the workshop and answer questions during the Q&A section.Â
The answer is simple. Because we want you to get to know us, the real us. As the regional wastewater treatment agency responsible for safely collecting, treating and disposing of the wastewater generated by 2.6 million people living in a 479-square-mile area of central and northwest Orange County, there are so many pieces of what we do. This Academy will break it all down so that you can walk away having a better understanding of what we do, how we do it and why we do it.