OAK VIEW : Casitas Reconsiders Water-Use Penalties

Outraged customers have attacked the Casitas Municipal Water District’s first water-rationing plan, causing district officials to think again about imposing heavy penalties for high water use.

“We’re listening to them,” District General Manager John J. Johnson said Friday. “I’m sure there will be some changes based on their comments, but I’m not sure yet what they could be.”

Nearly 100 residents packed a workshop in Oak View on Thursday to review a rationing plan the district board will consider April 16.

The plan would force residents and businesses to cut back 20% from their 1989 water use beginning July 1. Farmers would be limited to 2.5 acre-feet of water per acre of crops each year.

An acre-foot equals 325,900 gallons, the amount two typical Ventura County households use in one year.

The water district manages Lake Casitas and serves 55,000 people in western Ventura, the Ojai Valley and the Rincon area. Ventura, which gets about one-third of its water from Casitas, imposed rationing a year ago and has cut its consumption more than 20%.

A key decision for the Casitas board is whether to implement rationing with stiff penalties immediately. One option would force customers who exceed their allotments by 10% for two months to pay twice their normal billing rate for the next 11 months. If customers go over for a third month, they would face bills five times higher than normal.

Ken Shelton, a Mira Monte writer and gardener, called the penalties “Draconian.”

Chris Keller, a Meiners Oaks resident, said the plan proves that “money still talks. If you have enough money, you can buy all the water you want.”

Johnson said the penalties are intended to encourage water conservation and pay for rebates the district offers for installing low-flow toilets.