New fee to encourage Newbury Park residents to save more water
STAR FILE PHOTO
TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - High water users in Newbury Park will have to pay more for the precious resource starting September when a new drought surcharge will be added to some residents’ bills.
After falling behind in meeting the state-mandated 32 percent in water reduction for the last couple of months, California American Water will add a new fee for residents who use more than 8,976 gallons of water in a month. The figure, representing 1,200 cubic feet, is the amount used by an average customer.
“We’re asking customers to be more diligent,” said Brian Barreto of California American Water. “It will really help us in meeting our goal.”
The water agency serves 21,100 residents, primarily in Newbury Park. The district also covers portions of Camarillo, other portions of Thousand Oaks and unincorporated Ventura County.
For households whose water usage is more than the average, a charge of 21 cents for every 100 gallons will be tacked on the monthly bill. Residents whose typical bill is $58 or more will likely see a surcharge.
For example, a household that uses 12,000 gallons with a bill of $79 will now see a surcharge of $6.
In addition to the surcharge, the agency is also asking residents to use their sprinklers just once a week. Homes with odd-numbered addresses should water Saturdays and those with even-numbered addresses should water Sundays.
This measure is more stringent than the city of Thousand Oaks’ call to water twice a week.
In May, after Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order calling for a mandatory statewide reduction in water use, California American Water went into stage 2 restrictions. This means residents could water their lawns just twice a week.
The water agency saw a 27 percent reduction in June compared to usage two years ago and a 31 percent reduction in July. It was just shy of the 32 percent goal set by the state.
The added restrictions and surcharge planned for September are part of stage 3, which also calls on residents to fix all leaks within 24 hours of notification. Residents are also encouraged to contact the water agency should they plan to fill a new pool or drain and refill an existing pool because that will likely impact their water bill.
There is a total of five stages. Under stage 4, no outdoor irrigation is allowed and under stage 5, there is mandatory water rationing.
“We’re nowhere close to a stage 4,” Barreto said. “Residents are doing a good job but we want them to continue to be mindful of water use.”
Residents are encouraged to attend one of two informational meetings Sept. 17 at the Palm Garden Hotel at 495 N. Ventu Park Road in Thousand Oaks. The first meeting will be 2-3:30 p.m., and the second will be 5-6:30 p.m. For more information, call 498-1266 ext. 2809 or visit www.californiaamwater.com/drought.
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