The suspense didn’t last long as Janna Orkney watched election returns for the Triunfo Sanitation District Board of Directors race at a North Ranch pizzeria Tuesday night, surrounded by a half-dozen supporters.

Orkney earned 17.6 percent of the 18,324 ballots cast and easily won relection to the agency that delivers potable water to Oak Park and oversees sanitation services for Oak Park, North Ranch, Bell Canyon, Lake Sherwood and parts of Thousand Oaks.

Thousand Oaks resident James Wall and Oak Park residents Steven Iceland and Mike McReynolds each received 12 percent of the vote and will join Orkney and Mike Paule on the five-member water board. Due to a change in election rules, Triunfo had four seats on the ballot. The race attracted 11 candidates.

“At first we were concerned that we would lack people in the elections, so that was a surprise,” Orkney said.

Other contenders were Thousand Oaks residents Henry Press, Tim Nanson, Ray Tjulander; and Oak Park residents Bobby Ray Harris, Phil Janke, Dean Fields and Ron Stark.

“I’m very gratified by the interest. The most important thing was to have an all elected board so that everyone gets direct representation,” Orkney said.

Orkney said her priorities during her second term will include controlling costs for the management of compost and biosolids. She also wants to renegotiate recycled water rates with the Calleguas Municipal Water District and review contracts with the Ventura county Regional Sanitation District, which manages Triunfo operations.

“I enjoy the challenges to make the agency as efficient as it can be. We all need water and sanitation so we have to find the best way to do it,” Orkney said.

Oak Park resident Jeanne Cope said Orkney is an honest incumbent who will continue to serve her constituents well.

“She’s not afraid of going against the authorities and the big boys and she’s willing to protect our taxpayer money and prevent misappropriation of funds,” Cope said.

Iceland, who owns a dental practice in Agoura Hills, said the new board members will provide good representation for the entire district.

“I looked at the field of candidates and I think that the voters had a tough choice. But they picked some good responsible people, including one from Thousand Oaks. We all have a lot of work to do to get ready for our first meeting in December,” Iceland said.

Wall, who is on vacation in Oregon, was unavailable for comment, but his wife Janet said he’s pleased with the results. “It’s wonderful. He’s going to do a great job because he has a strong background in environmental issues,” she said.

Wall is manager of an environmental and safety department at Northrop Grumman who handles spill control, storm water pollution prevention and industrial wastewater permits for the Los Angeles aerospace and electronics company.