Thousand Oaks residents are concerned about water availability with new development projects, specifically the proposed Downtown Project. The project would add hundreds of housing units, a public market, nearly 28,000 square feet of commercial space, a hotel, community gathering spaces, a food hall, and other amenities around the Civic Arts Plaza.

Water Conservation and Development

The project is expected to add nearly 1,500 residents and require an additional 70,000 gallons of water per day, according to its environmental impact report. Rudy Elias, speaking on behalf of Anita Stein, questioned whether the city could guarantee fair access to water and power in the future during a planning commission meeting.

Thousand Oaks is currently at Level 1 water conservation level, the least restrictive of six levels. The city has implemented basic conservation rules, including limits on outdoor watering, prohibitions on excessive runoff, and restrictions on washing paved surfaces. In 2022, the city reached a Level 4 water supply shortage, requiring demand reductions of 31% to 40%.

Looking Forward

State Water Project officials are planning for climate change impacts, including more frequent droughts, extreme precipitation, earlier snowmelt, higher temperatures, and sea-level rise. City officials say they are not overly concerned about future demand, citing a 20% decrease in overall water consumption over the past five years.

The Downtown Project would have a minimal effect on overall water demand, according to the environmental impact report. The project’s additional demand would represent less than 1% of projected system demand. Wastewater and stormwater infrastructure can accommodate future growth, with the city’s wastewater treatment plant currently processing about 8 million gallons per day and having a capacity of 14 million gallons per day.

Original reporting: Thousand Oaks Acorn — read the source article.