troche times; font-size: 16px;”>Ventura Water customers are invited to attend an informational meeting on Wednesday, July 30 about the status of Ventura’s water supplies, water conservation efforts, and planning for future actions. The public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room, Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street, Ventura. The information will include statewide water waste response actions to be implemented soon as required by the State Water Resources Control Board’s resolution adopted on July 15.
The unusually hot and dry summer weather continues to decrease Ventura’s local water sources and mandatory water restrictions are expected soon to keep demand from outstripping available water supplies. To provide community input as Ventura Water develops and implements a water shortage plan, the City Council approved a 13-member Water Task Force on July 21. Some of the topics to be covered by the Task Force during their public meetings this fall include outdoor watering schedules, incentives, and potential surcharges or other drought rates.
In February 2014, Ventura Water called for customers to voluntarily reduce their water usage by at least 10% to stretch our water supplies. Overall water use declined in March, but warmer than normal temperatures this spring and summer are increasing water use compared to last year.
A more vigorous drought response is needed now even if Ventura receives above average rainfall this winter. Our water sources, including Lake Casitas, the Ventura River, and our regional groundwater aquifers, will need multiple years of significant rain to fully recover. A long-term focus of the effort will be integrated into the planning with the goal of drought-proofing Ventura to provide future water security. Water conservation and efficiency are part of the solution. For more water conservation information, visit www.cityofventura.net/water/efficiency.
Ventura Water, a City of Ventura organization, provides integrated water, wastewater and stormwater services to 113,000+ customers with 32,000 service connections. Ventura’s drinking water sources are all local and its water reclamation facility treats between eight and nine million gallons from homes and businesses daily.