THOUSAND OAKS : City May Impose 20% Water Cutback

In the wake of mandatory cutbacks ordered by its water supplier, the Thousand Oaks City Council is considering a plan that calls for the public to cut water use by 20%.

The City Council, which recently imposed fines and restrictions on certain kinds of uses, will consider another plan Tuesday that would penalize residents and businesses that fail to cut consumption.

Under the plan, customers would be given an allotment based on usage from the previous two years. A penalty of $3 would be assessed for every 748 gallons or 100 cubic feet of water used. Those who go over their allotments could be required to install flow restrictors on their faucets.

City Utilities Director Don Nelson said the plan would begin March 18. Residents, who are billed every two months, would not see any penalties on their water bills until mid-May, he said.

The plan would affect about 12,800 customers who receive their water from the city. About 23,400 residents who live in the Westlake and Newbury Park areas will have to cut back even sooner. The California-American Water Co. and the California Water Service Co., suppliers for the two areas, plan to begin cutbacks on Friday.

On Feb. 12 the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California ordered a 20% cutback in water use by its members. MWD is the main supplier for the Calleguas Municipal Water District, which provides water to Thousand Oaks and four other Ventura County cities.