Clean water is everybody’s business

You’ve no doubt heard about proposed regulations that could triple your payments for wastewater treatment. If you’re a resident or business owner in Westlake Village, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Oak Park, North Ranch or Lake Sherwood, we urge you to read on.

At an upcoming hearing on Thurs., Sept. 1 at Agoura Hills City Hall, decisions will be made about new regulations for the Tapia Water Reclamation Facility, which treats your wastewater. At Tapia, wastewater is “recycled” using extensive processes. The resulting water is clean enough to swim in and is used for irrigating golf courses, public parks and other community landscaping.

During cool weather months (November through April) any surplus has traditionally been sent down Malibu Creek to the ocean. For seven months each year, we place no water in the creek.

The permit being proposed for Tapia will reduce our ability to reclaim wastewater cost-effectively. Worse, it appears to be a backdoor approach to set controversial nutrient standards without full public input. As elected officials of nonprofit public agencies, we are concerned that you, as customers, will ultimately pay the bill.

Costs could reach tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, with little evidence these expenditures will produce any noticeable watershed improvements. The price for each of our customers could reach $12,000. Businesses may be discouraged from locating in our area. The Las Virgenes Unified School District has said it might be necessary to eliminate staff positions. City officials rightly point out this is not good government.

Additionally, we are taken aback that the new permit proposes Tapia’s surplus water be routed to the Los Angeles River. This would require pumping water uphill through Malibu Canyon and over the hills to West Hills where it would enter the San Fernando Valley stormwater system. It would take miles and milesof huge pipe, two new pumping facilities and backup power facilities. Electricity use would skyrocket, costs would increase and generate negative environmental impacts.

There is no guarantee we could secure the permission required to do this. And, there’s no assurance the regulations for the L.A. River won’t be made more stringent in the future. This proposal does not make sense, nor is it socially responsible or environmentally sound.

Our water districts have worked for decades to make our region self sustaining. We are award-winning, nationally acknowledged leaders in water recycling. We’ve invested more than $50 million in a facility that transforms wastewater solids into compost. We have contributed millions of dollars for environmental stewardship within the watershed.

Rather than spend public funds on proposed fixes that are short term and generate environmental problems, we advocate a collaborative approach to improving the Malibu Creek Watershed. Working together in partnership—government, residents and environmental interests— can make improvements that are scientifically sound, have longevity, and are effective.

We encourage you to learn more and voice your ideas at the hearing on Sept. 1.

For more information, check www.yourwater.org or call (818) 251-2104. Charles Caspary Ron Stark

Caspary is board president of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. Stark is board chairman of Triunfo Sanitation District. These two government agencies own and operate the Tapia Water Reclamation Facility, which provides wastewater treatment, recycled water and bio-solids composting for 85,000 residents of the Malibu Creek Watershed in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.