Oxnard Approves Plan to Store More Water

The Oxnard City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to expand a water-storage project that may prevent the need for rationing this summer.

The council allotted $120,000 to build an additional pump for the experimental project suggested by the Metropolitan Water District, which provides the city with two-thirds of its water.

“I think we’re all aware of the very serious problem we have at hand,” Mayor Nao Takasugi said. “But I think we’re in a better position than our neighbors.”

The project allows the city to buy excess water from the Metropolitan Water District at a reduced rate during winter months. The city has stored 1,700 acre-feet of that water, or 544 million gallons, since its inception in October.

The stored water is used during the summer, when the costs of imported water are high.

Jim Frandsen, Oxnard’s director of public works, said the city saves about $80 per acre-foot, or about $37,380 so far.

“I would say that our pilot program has been 100% successful,” Frandsen said. The MWD, which is carefully monitoring Oxnard’s project for potential use in other areas, passed a resolution last week calling for cutbacks to the cities and water agencies it serves.

The state drought, now entering its fourth year, has depleted the Colorado River and the Northern California rivers that supply the MWD with water.

MWD officials have requested that the cities and agencies they supply develop emergency water conservation ordinances.

But, Frandsen said, he believes that the experimental Oxnard program may provide enough water so that no rationing is needed.

Having an ample supply of water is important because a shortage would affect “keeping businesses here and keeping them viable,” said Mark Schultz, chairman of the water committee of the Economic Development Commission, a group of Oxnard community leaders.

In a special report, Schultz recommended that the council also increase publicity about water conservation and consider the water needs of future development projects.

The council also discussed reviewing landscaping requirements to stress the importance of using plants that require less water.

City officials will expand the storage program from two to four wells to handle 5,950 acre-feet of water for an estimated annual savings of $305,830.

The first well needed for the expansion will be installed by October. The second well, which the council has not yet funded, is set for use by October, 1991.

In an effort to speed up the well expansion, the council waived the competitive bidding process and selected Midway Drilling and Pump Co. of Ventura to install the first well.