THOUSAND OAKS : City Considers Higher Bills, Fines to Help Conserve Water

Thousand Oaks officials are considering a mandatory water conservation ordinance that could mean fines and higher bills for water users.

The measure would only be instituted if the Metropolitan Water District imposes cutbacks on the city’s three water companies, water officials said.

The district supplies the eastern Ventura County cities of Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

Water companies and cities statewide are drafting contingency plans now that the four-year drought has dried up supplies of imported water.

The city could be called on to impose cutbacks as early as January, although officials will be studying water supplies throughout the winter months, said Kurt O. Reithmayr, utilities department engineer.

The ordinance would affect all 12,800 customers, including businesses, in the city.

Water officials plan to present the measure to the City Council for adoption on Oct. 16.

If approved, the measure would be imposed in three stages, depending on the severity of the water shortage, said Don Nelson, city utilities director.

With a 10% shortage in water supplies, residents would face civil and criminal penalties for wasting water. Fines are not established in the ordinance.

Shortages of between 10% and 20% would involve more serious measures. Customers would have to reduce consumption by 10% or face penalties on their water bills.

Penalties are calculated at $2 for every unit, or about 750 gallons, of water used.

A family that uses 25 units of water each month would have to cut back by 2.5 units, or see a $5 penalty in its water bill.

If the city’s water shortage exceeds 20%, customers would also have to cut back by 20%.

But penalties also increase to $3 for every unit used. The same family using 25 units a month would have to cut back by 5 units, or pay $15 more on its bill.

Excessive users would have to install flow-restricting devices on their faucets or see their water shut off.