The Challenge:
Aging Infrastructure and Rising Costs
The infrastructure that treats Camarillo’s wastewater is nearing the end of its useful life. Major equipment, systems, and processes need to be modernized to meet current and future regulatory standards, maintain reliable service, and protect the environment.
At the same time, the cost of upgrading water and wastewater infrastructure has risen considerably across California. Construction materials, equipment, and labor are all more expensive than they were even a few years ago. Imported water, which Camarillo currently relies on, is also projected to continue rising in cost. These pressures make it essential to study every option carefully before committing to a specific path.
Why Now:
The Cost of Waiting
The longer infrastructure decisions are delayed, the more they cost. Construction prices continue to rise. Equipment failures become more likely as systems age. And grant funding opportunities can be time-sensitive.
Acting now – carefully and strategically – gives Camarillo several important advantages:
Alignment with groundwater adjudication
The City is currently involved in a legal process to determine long-term groundwater rights. Displaying a commitment to responsible water reuse strengthens Camarillo’s position in this proceeding and could yield benefits that last for decades.
Expanded grant eligibility
A water reuse approach opens access to grants and financing programs that are not available for wastewater-only projects, including federal WIFIA financing and Metropolitan Water District Local Resource Planning grants.
Protection against rising imported water costs
Water imported from the Sacramento Delta is projected to rise significantly in the coming years. Local water reuse can offset that exposure and improve supply reliability.
Time to get it right
Complex infrastructure decisions benefit from careful study, not crisis response. Starting now gives the City time for in-depth alternatives analysis before committing to a path.
The City’s Approach:
A Studied Path Forward
The City has engaged Jacobs, a nationally recognized engineering firm selected through a competitive procurement process, to serve as its Owner Advisor for this work. Jacobs is guiding Camarillo through a thorough alternatives analysis to identify the most affordable, effective approach that fits within the current Council-approved rate structure and reflects the community’s long-term interests.
Water reuse is the primary strategy being evaluated. By treating wastewater to a higher standard and putting it to productive local use, the City can reduce its dependence on imported water, build long-term supply resilience, and access grant funding that would not otherwise be available.
As the alternatives analysis progresses, the City will share updates with the community, including cost ranges as they are confirmed and opportunities for input.
Acknowledging the Uncertainty
The project is currently in the study phase, where the City is evaluating options to determine the appropriate scope and cost.
As part of this process, information will be shared once it has been fully developed and vetted.
At this stage, the City can confirm that the upgrade is necessary and that work is in progress to identify a cost-effective, long-term solution.
The Long-Term Benefit:
A Generational Investment
This is one of the most important infrastructure investments the City will make in a generation. It is not a routine upgrade, and not something most residents will ever see again in their lifetimes. Done well, it will provide reliable wastewater service, stronger water supply resilience, and meaningful environmental benefits for Camarillo residents for decades to come.
Done carefully, it can be accomplished while staying within the current Council-approved rate structure. That is the commitment guiding this work.
Reliability
Modernized facilities that can serve Camarillo for the next several decades
Sustainability
Improved efficiency, lessened environmental impact, and a responsible local water strategy
Resilience
Less dependence on increasingly expensive and vulnerable imported water
Affordability
Grant funding and water reuse offsets pursued specifically to protect ratepayers over the long term
Stewardship
A stronger position for the City in the ongoing groundwater adjudication