Wastewater Services
Print
Email
Wastewater Services
Ventura Water provides treatment services to approximately 98% of City residences, with a total population of over 109,000. We also perform wastewater collection and treatment for McGrath State Beach Park and the North Coast Communities (Ventura County Service Area 29).
These residences and businesses generate about 8 to 9 million gallons of wastewater per day, which is carried by more than 300 miles of sewer mains and 14 lift stations to the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility. The Ventura Water Reclamation Facility is a tertiary treatment plant, located in the Ventura Harbor area near the mouth of the Santa Clara River, where the river meets the Pacific Ocean.
Currently, following a three-step treatment process at the facility, most of the treated wastewater is discharged into the Estuary after flowing through a series of wildlife ponds for about four days or delivered to reclaimed water customers. Learn more about the recent settlement that will change how we use this water in the future.
Building To Protect Our Environment
A $21 million, two-year capital improvement project to remove more nutrients from the water treated by the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility came online recently. During the activated sludge treatment process, ammonia is converted to nitrate which, unlike ammonia, is not considered toxic. However, nitrate is a nutrient that in sufficient quantities can affect oxygen levels in receiving waters and, in Ventura’s case, could lead to algae blooms and other ecosystem disruptions in the fragile Santa Clara River Estuary. A 70% reduction in nitrate to protect the Estuary was required by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board in 2008 as a condition of Ventura’ discharge permit. In conjunction with the upgrade, the project provided an opportunity to modernize facility infrastructure components and associated equipment, some of which have been in service since the 1960s.
The rates paid by Ventura Water customers fund the capital improvement program, which includes important projects like this one. It represents an investment by our community to protect our local water resources and will pay dividends today and serve future generations tomorrow.
September 2011 Nutrient Removal Project Progress Report (.pdf 6178KB)
October 2010 Nutrient Removal Project Progress Report (.pdf 5158KB)
June 2009 Nutrient Removal Project Progress Report (.pdf 6564KB)
How We Use It Again
The Ventura Water Reclamation Facility includes pump stations and pipelines for water reclamation. In 1998, the daily average volume of treated wastewater reclaimed was over 700,000 gallons. Our reclaimed water system provides water for irrigation of golf courses, parks and similar landscape areas. This reuse is an integral part of the water efficiency program and represents a reduction in demand on the drinking water supply each year of approximately 300 million gallons.
For more information about our reclaimed water system, please call Wastewater Operations at (805) 677-4114.
Why You Should Join the Main "Stream"
On occasion, property owners in non-sewered areas have expressed interest in connecting to our system due to continuing septic system problems. There are approximately 800 City residences that are not connected to our sewer system. Connection to the sewer system benefits property owners, the environment and the water quality in the area. Individual septic systems can degrade groundwater quality. Many people are not aware that the high bacterial levels associated with beach closures can be due, in part, to leaking or damaged septic systems.
To learn more about connecting to the Ventura Water's sewer system, please call Engineering Services at (805) 654-7829 or Wastewater Operations at (805) 677-4114.
