CAMARILLO : Council Seeks Study on Water Service

Camarillo City Council members Wednesday directed the city manager and mayor to research the feasibility of taking 4,600 customers in eastern Camarillo from the Camrosa Water District and providing them with city water and sewers.

The council voted to have City Manager William Little send a letter to Camrosa asking for a meeting between city officials and Camrosa directors to discuss the matter.

The action followed a recommendation by the Ventura County grand jury to consolidate all city residents under the city’s water department, a 50% increase in city customers, Little said. The city now serves 9,200 households.

Foreman Robert Gallagher said in a Feb. 24 letter that the grand jury has completed an in-depth study of problems relating to the Camrosa Water and Sewer District. The study “indicates the users in the city of Camarillo have different problems from those in the Santa Rosa Valley,” the letter says.

Little said he asked to see a copy of the study, but was told that it will remain confidential until the grand jury decides to release it. Gallagher could not be reached for comment.

Little said it makes sense to put all of Camarillo’s water customers under one district for policy and financial reasons.

Camrosa serves its customers with water supplied by the Metropolitan Water District, while Camarillo blends MWD water with water from wells.

Gina Manchester, Camrosa’s general manager, was unavailable for comment.

The Camrosa board of directors will discuss the issue at 7 p.m. today at its office on Santa Rosa Road.