CAMARILLO : Water Rates Tied to Year’s Consumption

The water rates for Camarillo growers will be based on annual consumption under a resolution passed by the City Council.

Under the previous system, farmers were allocated a certain amount of water each month based on how much they had used in the base year of 1989-90. Many faced penalties for not cutting their consumption, said John Elwell, community services director.

Farmers now may adjust their water use, which varies throughout the year, to correspond with planting. Farmers consumed 16% of the water used by the entire city in 1991.

The resolution, passed Wednesday, supersedes a conservation measure passed last year. It stemmed from a complaint by farmer Craig Underwood, who was billed $23,000 for water last year, $14,000 of which was in penalties.

Underwood asked the council to consider waiving his penalties because he planted crops before he realized that the city was going to change the billing system. He said he could not afford to let the crops die from lack of water.

Assistant City Manager Larry Davis said the city could review Underwood’s request now that the new resolution has been adopted.

The council also adopted a water shortage contingency plan, an amendment to the city’s Urban Water Management Plan, which outlines steps to take if the drought worsens. The city in 1991 had already ordered the reduction of residents’ water consumption by 20% and of farmers’ by 50% over 1990.

In the next phase, water use would be cut by up to 35% for residents, and up to 70% for farmers over 1990 levels. Also, the tiered rate structure would be stiffened with people charged more as they use more water.

Despite the recent rainfall, Elwell said, the drought is not over.

“Every water planner you talk to is going to say, ‘Don’t relax,’ ” he said.

Elwell said the city’s total water consumption for 1991 was 29% less than in 1990. “That’s excellent news,” he said.