THOUSAND OAKS : Requests for Water Increases Mount

A Thousand Oaks official on Wednesday said there would be a monthlong delay in processing about 500 requests for more water submitted by local residents and businesses.

Paul Swenson, the city water conservation coordinator, said the backlog has kept three full-time utilities department workers busy answering questions and processing the paperwork.

For the past five months, residents have been forced to comply with an ordinance that requires them to cut back on their monthly water consumption by at least 20%.

Customers who exceed that amount are penalized 3 cents for every 7.48 gallons of water used over their quotas. The quotas were established using an average for the past two years.

The ordinance also allowed residents and business owners to file requests for extra water. Some customers who did not live at their current homes or have added family members say they want more water without getting penalized.

Donald Stevens said water use at his house on Camino Calandria was unusually low two years ago because the house was unoccupied after it burned down in 1987. He and his wife moved back almost two years ago, and last year they brought in a foster child.

Stevens said his last water and sewer bill was $93, which included a $25 penalty. “My lawn isn’t green. . . . I’m trying to conserve what I can,” he said. “I don’t know what to do.”

Some businesses, including Mrs. Gooch’s Market and the North Oaks Plaza, both on Avenida de los Arboles, say they need extra water just for normal operations.