Summer
2003
Ventura Siphon Project Gets Underway
DIstrict Announces First Rate Increase in Nine Years
OVSD Wins Treatment Plant of the Year Awarde
District Expands its Technology
OVSD Board Welcomes Two New Directors
Fat
Free Sewers
Free Biosolids
Ventura Siphon Project Gets Underway
In an ongoing effort to prevent sewage spills from entering the Ventura River from the currently vulnerable location of the Meiners Oaks sewer trunk line, which crosses the river just north of the Highway 150 bridge, the OVSD has selected to install a new line which will run deep under the river. The line will be a siphon line, which is both a cost effective and environmentally protective solution for rerouting sewer lines. The siphon will be installed by using a technique called directional drilling, which will allow the line to be placed up to two-hundred feet below the surface of the river bottom, ensuring its integrity, regardless of long-term erosion or intense river flow. Another advantage of using a siphon line is that it saves significantly on energy costs due to the fact that is draws waste via siphoning instead of electrically pumping it through the line.
Currently, work on the preliminary design phase is being conducted and an environmental document will soon be prepared. Once the OVSD Board approves this phase and the environmental impacts are considered, they will direct the engineers to proceed with the final design plan. With the final design plan approved, construction will begin in the fall 2003 and is expected to take 3-4 months to complete.
District
Announces First Rate
Increase in Nine Years
For the first time in nine years, the OVSD will be raising rates to its customers. The proposed increase of $2.47 per month is a result of many factors, including the increased cost of electricity, regulatory and environmental compliance costs, required permit increases and increased operational and insurance costs.
Although the proposed rate (which represents an increase of 8%) is significantly lower than the current increases being experienced by similar communities, the District is continuing with its extensive efforts to mitigate additional increases by reducing the amount of water flow to the plant. Projects to seal manhole covers, repair pipelines and last year’s smoke testing program have all successfully contributed to this reduction in flow
In addition, the OVSD has been in contact with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) to discuss the development of a more flexible monitoring program that does not require the OVSD to devote so much of its limited resources to the collection of additional data. After learning that the RWQCB’s monitoring program fees would increase from $87,000 to $175,000—an increase of $88,000—the District suggested a more flexible plan. The proposed plan would allow for certain monitoring to be done less frequently and at fewer locations. This would allow the District to save significant amounts of money in the long run. Although a reply from the RWQCB is expected, the OVSD is not sure what the outcome will be. “It is our sincere hope that the RWQCB will agree to this revised plan. General Manager, John Correa commented on the situation: “We feel it would be a win-win for all involved parties and make a significant improvement to our financial health.” He then added, “Our Board of Directors remains committed to their mission of keeping rates down, even in the face of other concerns, like the potential loss of property tax revenues at the state level. Regardless of the situation, I’m confident that our agency is doing everything it can to serve our customers to the best of its ability.”
OVSD Wins Treatment Plant of the Year Award
For the second time in four years, the OVSD Treatment has been awarded the highly-coveted Plant of the Year Award for Small Plants (processing fewer than 10 million gallons per day) by the California Water Environment Association (CWEA). The CWEA is an organization devoted to improving water quality and water resources within the state. Prior to winning the CWEA award at the State level, the OVSD plant won the local Tri-Counties Section Award. California has more than five hundred Wastewater Treatment Plants in both large and small award categories. OVSD was selected as the winner from the eight finalists that advanced to the State competition.
The OVSD was selected as this year’s winner after being successfully evaluated in the areas of administration, regulatory compliance, safety, plant operations and maintenance, and overall plant appearance.
Operations Superintendent, Ronald Sheets commented on this year’s award: “Our staff is great at paying attention to details. We always maintain the plant as if we’re expecting a tour the next day.”
District Expands its Technology
Keeping ahead of technology in today’s fast-paced world is not always easy, but Jan Steenberg, the District’s Information Technology Administrator, makes it look as if it were. This spring, the OVSD implemented the use of a computerized Geographical Information System (GIS), which allows staff to use maps, atlas pages and databases to run their maintenance and collection systems more effectively. From a map on a computer screen and a couple of clicks of a mouse, the sewer line, manhole, and flow direction can be determined immediately. In addition to quickly being able to view the sewer system itself, property parcel numbers, customer information, rates and other data are being added to the system as well.
What this means is that the District is now saving time and money by using this dynamic computerized tool. For example, Steenberg noted: “If we have a break in a line, we can see where the nearest manhole is, how long that section of pipe is, whether the line is in the street or in someone’s backyard, and what the best way to make the repair would be. In other cases, when someone inquires as to whether or not there is sewer service available to them, or how to get hooked up, we can find the nearest connection to their property and determine the distance from the sewer in a matter of seconds. It’s a great evaluation and assessment tool.”
The other great thing about this technology is that it never becomes obsolete since it works from using databases that can continually be updated and expanded upon. Ultimately, this system allows the District to respond to customer issues with greater speed and efficiency.
OVSD
Board Welcomes
Two New Directors
Director John R. (Randy) Burg was appointed to the board in 2001 and elected in November 2002. He serves Division 2, which covers most of Oak View and portions of Mira Monte. Randy holds a B.S. Degree in Economics and is the President of a local corporation representing manufacturers who serve the construction industry. He moved his family to the Ojai Valley in 1977 and has been active in the community ever since. He has been an active member in the Ojai Lion’s Club since 1978, having served as President, Secretary, and Treasurer during his tenure there. In October 2002, Director Burg completed the Special Districts Institute certificate program, which includes studies in District Governance, District Finance and District Administration.
Division 4 Director, Jack Curtis, was elected to the board in November 2002. His Division represents customers in portions of Meiners Oaks, Persimmon Hill and Mira Monte. Jack has an extensive background in the construction industry, including participating in the construction of portions of the District’s collection system in 1963-65. Curtis and his family moved to the Ojai Valley in April 1962, where he has been an active community member for many years by serving on numerous local boards and organizations. Jack currently serves on the Ventura River County Water Board (VRCWD), holds the position of Treasurer for the Ventura County Special Districts’ Association (VCSDA), is a director with the Association of Water Agencies (AWA) representing County Water Districts, and is a commissioner on the Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) representing Ventura County’s independent special districts.
Fat-Free
Sewers:
Preventing Fats, Oils and Grease from causing overflows and backups,a
nd from damaging your home and the environment is easy:
Fat-Free Sewers: Preventing Fats, Oils and Grease from causing overflows and backups, and from damaging your home and the environment is easy:
- Never pour grease down the sink drains or into toilets.
- Scrape grease and food scraps into a can or the trash for disposal (or recycling where available).
- Put baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids, and empty them into the trash.
- Speak with your friends and neighbors about how to keep grease out of sewers.
All OVSD compost meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s "Class A, Exceptional Quality" standards for biosolids.
Bring your own bag, or a pick up a truckload at the District's Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 6363 N. Ventura Avenue, while supplies last.
Call (805) 648-5066 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to ensure compost availablitly.
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