Water Program Costs Protested

Our family of three in Oxnard uses just half the water we are entitled to under the city’s new water conservation program. But because of the cost of the water conservation program, our rates will be going up. If we were conserving water before the water conservation program, why do we need to subsidize this $600,000 employment project?

The water conservation manager’s projected salary and start-up costs exceeded $90,000. The assistant water conservation manager’s projected salary and start-up costs exceeded $50,000. Staff recommended hiring three additional water meter readers so each water meter could be read each month.

If I’m already conserving water, why do I need to have my meter read each month? Let those people who exceed their water allocation have their meters read each month and charge those people for the additional cost.

LAWRENCE P. STEIN, Oxnard