by Gina Dorrington Ventura Water
I am pleased to announce that Ventura Water customers continue to conserve at record levels. These efforts are helping to keep our local water supply sustainable. We appreciate our community members’ concerns for the City’s water resources and value the input you provide. We are fortunate to have skilled and knowledgeable staff that are just as passionate as you, and assess water supply and demands through various planning efforts including the annual Comprehensive Water Resources Report and the Urban Water Management Plan. These assessments consider new development projects and the anticipated increase in water demands and impact on water supply, to ensure a balanced and stable water future. We utilize additional tools to manage our water resources including the Water Shortage Event Contingency Plan and Water Waste Ordinance. You can learn more about these efforts at the Water Commission meetings held every fourth Tuesday of each month. A lot of work goes into ensuring a secure water supply for existing and future customers.
I had the privilege of being a panelist at the September 8th Forum on Ventura County’s Water Crisis and California’s Drought, hosted by Assemblymember Steve Bennett. This was a great opportunity to talk about Ventura’s water supply reliability and to showcase how conservation has allowed Ventura to meet its water demands. Many questions were submitted at this forum, as well as at other community meetings, regarding why the City allows development projects and how it impacts water supply.
The City’s Ventura Water and Community Development departments are working together to bring you those answers and assist in moving the City forward in the development of the General Plan. We plan to host a community workshop in mid-October to address the community’s concerns and provide more information on the City’s water neutral development policy and future water supply projects.
