City to Issue Bonds on Waste-Water Plant
The city is moving ahead with plans to upgrade a waste-water plant and sewer line in an effort to end one of the most divisive debates in the city’s history.
Thousand Oaks will issue $25 million in bonds for improvements to the Hill Canyon Waste Wastewater Treatment Plant. Included is money to repair a sewer line that burst in February during El Nino-driven storms.
That spill sent 86 million gallons of raw sewage into the Arroyo Conejo, leading to a $2.3-million fine from the state Water Quality Control Board and an investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office for possible violation of the federal Clean Water Act.
With the Sept. 22 vote to issue the bonds, City Council members--deadlocked for years over the repairs--are hoping to put the controversy behind them.
“We’re pleased that this is finally going forward,” Councilman Andy Fox said. “It was a very difficult battle and were glad that it’s now going to happen.”
The plant is expected to serve about 124,000 people and will generate about $300,000 in annual revenue for the city from reclaimed waste water, beginning in 2000.
The 25-year bonds will be issued by the Thousand Oaks Public Financing Authority, an agency directed by the City Council. Proceeds are expected to be available about Nov. 5.
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