MOORPARK : More Water Cuts Expected for Area

Ventura County supervisors are expected to adopt water rationing measures today calling for cuts of up to 20% for 30,000 people and as much as 30% for 400 farmers in the Moorpark, Somis and Bell Canyon areas.

If supervisors approve the measures for county-operated water works districts, Moorpark-area households will have to reduce consumption by 15% from 1990 levels to 399 gallons per day to avoid penalties. Without reductions, the average bimonthly bill will increase from $36 to about $41.

Farmers in the Moorpark area will have to cut use by 30% to avoid paying double the normal cost of water.

In the Somis area, residents must reduce household consumption by 20% to 549 gallons of water per day, or pay about $4 more than the average $61 bimonthly bill. Farmers must cut use by 20% to avoid penalties.

Residents of the Bell Canyon area must reduce usage by 20%, to 947 gallons per household per day. Bimonthly bills for households that do not reduce will increase from about $147 to $175.

R. Reddy Pakala, who manages the three districts, said the supervisors are expected to approve the measures, which would be effective immediately.

But Pakala said the supervisors will probably deepen the cuts by another 10% to domestic users and another 20% to agricultural customers next month as the county responds to cutbacks from its major water supplier.

The cutbacks vary among the county districts depending on the proportion of water supplied by MWD. MWD supplies 75% of water used in the Moorpark area, 40% in the Somis area, and all the water used in the Bell Canyon area.