PORT HUENEME : Plans for Treatment Plant to Be Reviewed

With three new members on board, the Port Hueneme City Council will review plans tonight for a high-tech water treatment plant that will serve the city, the Channel Islands Beach community and the two Navy bases.

During the 7:30 p.m. meeting, Kennedy / Jenks Consultants, an engineering firm hired by the city, will present an overview of the $10-million project. Since the project was approved in 1993, the council has three new members and the beach community’s board of directors has two newcomers.

Plans call for construction of a reverse osmosis plant that would provide 3.9 million gallons a day of high-quality water. It is scheduled to begin operating in the summer of 1996.

The plant is expected to serve 41,500 people who reside in the city, the unincorporated beach community, the Naval Construction Battalion Center at Port Hueneme and the Naval Air Weapons Station at Point Mugu.

The project was spurred about 18 months ago by tough new water quality guidelines expected to be implemented by the federal government.

Channel Islands Beach and the Port Hueneme Navy base now draw water from coastal wells that are jeopardized by seawater intrusion.

The city and Point Mugu both receive water from wells operated by the United Water Conservation District. But water treated by the new facility, even after blending with the well water, would be three times cleaner than the water each now uses.

The joint project between the city, beach community and Navy is expected to save taxpayers up to $15 million, said Douglas Breeze, the city’s public works manager.