City Panel to Discuss Joint Study on Pipeline : Water: Three Ventura City Council members favor the project, one opposes it and three want to see the environmental impact report.

The Ventura City Council is expected to take a major step today toward connecting the city with the State Water Project by ordering an environmental impact report on a proposed pipeline.

The council will decide whether to enter into an agreement with the Casitas Municipal Water District, which serves the Ojai Valley, to conduct the $275,000 environmental study. The study will examine the environmental impact of building a 42-mile pipeline along the Santa Clara River to Lake Castaic, one of the State Water Project’s reservoirs.

The pipeline, which would take about five years to complete, has long divided the City Council.

Three of its seven members--Jim Monahan, John McWherter and Mayor Richard Francis--have said they support it. Councilman Gary Tuttle calls it a white elephant that will only encourage growth. He favors building a large desalination plant instead.

Council members Cathy Bean, Don Villeneuve and Todd Collart said they want to see the environmental report before making up their minds.

Of the three who are undecided, Villeneuve said last week that he is leaning toward supporting the pipeline. Villeneuve’s vote would give pipeline advocates a majority.

Tuttle said the expected vote to conduct an environmental report is proof that the council, which is often billed as a slow-growth body, has caved in to pressure from development interests.

“The pipeline’s being forced on the council by the big business interests,” he said. “They’ve been pushed into this decision through political pressure that some council members can’t take.”

Villeneuve disagreed. “I don’t think we can have a comprehensive, long-term water strategy that doesn’t include importing water,” he said.

If the council agrees to do the report, it will be based on the Kennedy/Jenks/Chilton water importation study completed in February.

That study said a pipeline along the river would cost $80 million, half to be paid by Ventura, with the rest split between the Casitas district and the United Water Conservation District. Under that plan, Ventura would gain 10,000 acre-feet per year of high-quality water--enough to cover the needs of about half the city’s population.

The two water districts would evenly divide another 10,000 acre-feet. The Castaic Lake Water District would provide the treatment facilities.

As an alternative, the environmental report would also consider a $120-million pipeline project that would include a treatment facility.

Since 1964, Ventura has spent $7.3 million to maintain its rights to state water and has devoted thousands of hours in staff time studying how to bring it down.

In July, policy-makers from the city and the two districts met to discuss the pipeline project, but Ventura and Casitas were unable to persuade United to join in paying for the environmental report.

United General Manager Fred Gientke said his agency is very interested in the pipeline, but that it will not commit funds until all three agencies sign a joint powers agreement covering the entire pipeline project.

“We cannot commit to a venture of this magnitude without a business agreement stipulating the distribution of costs and naming an independent authority to be in charge,” Gientke said.

He said United is reluctant to join with Ventura in a business venture because the last time they were partners in a project--the Freeman Diversion Dam now under construction--Ventura ended up suing United and pulling out after financial commitments had been made.

“United won’t be jerked around this time,” Gientke said. “We want to see an agreement on paper.”

Ventura Public Works Director Shelley Jones said that if United decides to join in on the pipeline, the cost of the environmental report will be redistributed.

But Francis said United should not delay much longer.

“My concern is that United may not be aware that if they don’t commit to the pipeline soon, they might be left out,” Francis said. “The train is leaving and United has to decide if it wants to be on it.”