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Camarillo, CA – Yesterday, the City of Camarillo filed a Writ of Mandate with the Santa Barbara Superior Court requesting further review of the Phase 1 ruling in OPV Coalition, et al., v. Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, et al. Issued in October, the ruling did not consider key evidence, combined legally distinct water sources, relied on outdated modeling, and ultimately established a dangerously low total available groundwater supply, or “safe yield,” for the region.
Recognizing the imminent and long-term threat this decision has on the City’s water supplies, an appeal has been made to the court to swiftly intervene. Prompt action by the court is critical because, based on similar groundwater adjudication cases in California, the litigation could continue for 10 years or more before a final judgment is reached.
“If this legal decision is left to stand, Camarillo could be forced to make major water supply and investment decisions for the future based on a ruling that the City finds inconsistent with existing and established laws,” said Mayor David Tennessen. “We are seeking a transparent, data-driven outcome that protects ratepayers, respects state and federal investments, and allows the City to plan responsibly for its water future.”
The region-wide groundwater adjudication case was initiated more than three years ago by the “OPV Coalition,” a group of powerful interests and large agricultural landowners who seek to remedy their own groundwater over pumping at the expense of Camarillo’s responsible stewardship of water resources. United Water Conservation District, Pleasant Valley County Water District, the City of Oxnard, Marathon Land, and others aligned with the OPV Coalition proposed a “settlement” that sets the available groundwater supply in the Pleasant Valley Basin well below historically sustainable levels of pumping. The settlement also relies on a water model that United has publicly admitted needs to be updated. Despite Camarillo’s strong objections, the proposed “settlement” is what the court adopted in its Phase 1 decision.
During the Phase 1 trial, the court excluded key evidence offered by Camarillo regarding salty inflows to the Pleasant Valley Basin and did not consider the City’s regulatory requirement to remove those salts or the City’s investment in our $70 million North Pleasant Valley Desalter to treat that water. As a result, the decision does not account for or appropriately quantify salty inflows from upstream wastewater treatment plants that have degraded Camarillo’s groundwater quality over time. The ruling also fails to account for state mandates to reduce reliance on imported water supplies from the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. For these reasons, Camarillo urges the Court of Appeal to review the Phase 1 decision to avoid stranding the significant public investments Camarillo has made in the Desalter and correct the court’s errors in quantifying the Pleasant Valley Basin’s native safe yield.
“Left uncorrected, the Phase 1 decision will negatively impact every subsequent phase of this groundwater adjudication process, which will only lead to longer, costly litigation,” continued Mayor Tennessen. “Camarillo is asking the court to modify the decision to avoid the improper allocation of water rights and negative impacts to our water supplies.”
Camarillo’s Long-Term Water Stewardship
Camarillo has long taken proactive steps to maximize local water supplies. For many years, the City relied on imported water, but with the construction of the Desalter, Camarillo has implemented a self-sustaining water supply aligned with state policy to reduce dependence on more expensive imported water. Moreover, the Desalter is the only facility in the Pleasant Valley Basin that removes salts from the local groundwater to meet state and regional water quality mandates.
Commitment to the Community and Next Steps
As the City pursues its appeal and prompt judicial review of the case, Camarillo will continue to fiercely advocate for and protect its groundwater rights. The OPV Coalition’s lawsuit is anticipated to move into two more phases in court, which will determine individual water rights and pumping allocations for all the region’s users. More information on this issue can be found on the Protect Our Water page on the City’s website.
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