CAMARILLO : Camrosa Water Plan Delayed by Council

The Camarillo City Council voted Wednesday to table a grand jury recommendation to provide Camrosa Water District customers with city water and sewer services.

City Manager J. William Little initially had proposed that the city consider hiring a consultant to study the grand jury proposal, saying the idea was worth pursuing. Little contacted Black & Veatch Consulting Engineers, which said it would charge $3,500 to conduct a preliminary feasibility study and then another undetermined sum to do a more in-depth feasibility study.

However, the council utilities committee expressed only limited interest and recommended that the issue be tabled, officials said.

Committee members noted that the city cannot obtain enough ground water in some areas to meet the increased need the takeover would create, which would mean a price increase to customers in those areas.

Also, the committee pointed out that Camrosa operates the waste water treatment plant for Camarillo State Hospital. If the city were to assume the water and sewer services there, it would be necessary to build another plant, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the present system, committee members said.