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6.19 UTILITIES – WASTEWATER
6.19.1 OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY
The proposed project is located within the service boundary of the Camrosa Water District (CWD), the main
provider of wastewater disposal service in the area. CWD currently does not provide wastewater services to the
project site. Project demand for wastewater service could be met by current CWD facilities, and impacts would thus
be less than significant.
6.19.2 LITERATURE AND DATA REVIEW
Project-related Studies
The following project data was used:
Penfield & Smith. “St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study.” 2010.
Other Data Sources
The following other data sources were used:
• Camrosa Water District. Industrial Waste and Sanitary Service Ordinance 22-06: Regulating and Controlling Sewage Liquid Waste and Industrial Waste Discharges. 2006.
• Camrosa Water District. Ordinance 40-10: Rules and Regulations Governing the Provision of Water and Sanitary Services. 2010.
• Camrosa Water District. Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Standards. n.d.
• Camrosa Water District. Draft Integrated Facilities Master Plan. February 2011.
• Camrosa Water District. 2015 Urban Water Management Plan. 2015.
6.19.3 METHODOLOGY
Analysis was conducted using wastewater generation rates provided by the CWD to determine the
amount of wastewater that would be generated by the proposed project.
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6.19.4 APPLICABLE REGULATIONS
Federal Regulations
No federal regulations regarding wastewater services exist that would apply to the proposed project.
State Regulations
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards
(RWQCBs) are the principal state agencies with primary responsibility for the coordination and control of
water quality. In the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act1 (Porter-Cologne), the California State
Legislature declared that the “state must be prepared to exercise its full power and jurisdiction to protect
the quality of the waters in the state from degradation.” Porter-Cologne grants the boards authority to
implement and enforce water quality laws, regulations, policies, and plans to protect the state’s
groundwater and surface waters.
The proposed project is located within the Los Angeles Region of the California Regional Water Quality
Control Board (Los Angeles RWQCB), which provides guidelines for sewage disposal from land
developments. The guidelines provide an explanation of the principal statutory authority and
administrative procedures under which the RWQCB will fulfill its responsibilities to protect against
pollution, nuisance, contamination, unreasonable degradation of water quality, and violation of water
quality objectives, as each may occur from the disposal of sewage from land developments.
Local Regulations
Camrosa Water District
Camrosa Water District (CWD) ordinances define the district’s service area, set fees, and design
requirements, and regulate industrial discharges.2 CWD also provides design and construction standards
for sewer connections and standard generation rates for estimating the wastewater generation of
development projects.3
1 State Water Resources Control Board, “Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act” California Water Code,
Division 7. Water Quality, effective January 1, 2008. 2 Camrosa Water District. Industrial Waste and Sanitary Service Ordinance 22-06: Regulating and Controlling
Sewage Liquid Waste and Industrial Waste Discharges. 2006; Camrosa Water District. Ordinance 40-10: Rules and Regulations Governing the Provision of Water and Sanitary Services. 2010.
3 Camrosa Water District. Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Standards. n.d.
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6.19.5 EXISTING CONDITIONS
Regional Setting
Wastewater generated within the City of Camarillo is treated by the Camarillo Sanitary District and the
CWD.
CWD provides wastewater service to 7,500 sanitary service connections in a service area spread over 31
square miles; wastewater collection services are provided in the central portion of the district and to
California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) and the County of Ventura.4 The wastewater service
area includes the portion of the City of Camarillo east of Calleguas Creek, west of Morongo Drive, and
north of Highway 101 extending to Worth Way. CWD also provides services to California State
University Channel Islands, RAIN Project Transitional Living Center, Casa Pacifica, Las Posadas, Casa
Esperanza, and Villa Calleguas.5 The district inspects and approves plans for all public main wastewater
lines and laterals within public rights-of-way. The City of Camarillo Department of Building and Safety is
responsible for laterals on private property within the City.6
CWD operates one water reclamation facility (WRF) located at 1900 South Lewis Road. Figure 6.19-1,
Camrosa Wastewater Service Area, illustrates the service area and shows the location of the WRF. This
facility has a capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day7 (mgd) and treats an average daily flow of 1.4 mgd.8
Wastewater collection systems convey flow to the CWD WRF, which is located south of the City. At the
WRF wastewater is treated to tertiary standards and used for crop irrigation or stored in the WRF’s
detention ponds. During wet periods when demand for irrigation water is low, treated water is
discharged to Calleguas Creek. The most recent discharge occurred in 1998.
Local Setting
The proposed project site is near the northernmost limit of the CWD’s wastewater service area, at Worth
Way to the east of the proposed project site. An 8-inch stub-out located approximately 1,200 feet
southeast of the proposed project’s primary entrance is the sewer connection nearest to the project site.
4 Camrosa Water District, About Camrosa, https://www.camrosa.com/about.html, accessed 11/30/2016 5 Camrosa Water District, Industrial Waste and Sanitary Service Ordinance 22-06: Regulating and Controlling Sewage
Liquid Waste and Industrial Waste Discharges, (2006) 39. Ordinance 40-10: Rules and Regulations Governing the Provision of Water and Sanitary Services (2010) 23.
6 Camrosa Water District, Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Standards, (n.d.) 1-7. 7 Camrosa Water District, Draft Integrated Facilities Master Plan Section 7: Sanitary Service Facilities, (February 2011),
26. 8 Camrosa Water District, Draft Integrated Facilities Master Plan, (February 2011) Table 7.23.
Project Site
Camrosa Wastewater Service AreaFIGURE 6.19-1
SOURCE: Camrosa Water District and Impact Sciences, Inc., November 2016
0037-030•12/16
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Project Site
The proposed project site is currently not connected to the CWD wastewater system. The existing
buildings are served by an on-site septic system.
6.19.6 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE
In order to assist in determining whether a project will have a significant effect on the environment, the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, City of Camarillo Threshold Guidelines (adopted
from the State CEQA Guidelines, Appendix G) identify criteria for conditions that may be deemed to
constitute a substantial or potentially substantial adverse change in physical conditions.
Under the following thresholds, a project may be deemed to have a significant impact if it would
• exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable Regional Water Quality Control Board;
• require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of
existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects; and
• result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider, which serves or may serve the
project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project’s projected demand in addition to the
provider’s existing commitments.
6.19.7 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Impacts
The proposed project would not exceed the wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable
RWQCB. The proposed project consists of a senior citizen housing development of 300 residential units
on approximately 45 acres of an 88.45 acres site. Project implementation would result in wastewater
generation connections to the existing CWD wastewater systems that are in place.
It is not anticipated that the proposed project would result in wastewater generation in excess of
currently CWD-system capacity; therefore, no new facilities would need to be constructed.9 Accordingly,
9 Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, (2010) 3.
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the project would not exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the Los Angeles RWQCB and
impacts would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.
Residual Impacts
Impacts would be less than significant.
Require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects.
Impacts
Capacity
The proposed project would connect to an existing 8-inch sewer line across Upland Road at Hillridge
Drive, which would require an approximately 1,200-foot extension of the proposed project’s sewer line.
The existing 8-inch main would convey project wastewater to the CWD WRF, which has a design
capacity of 1.5 mgd and existing average daily flows of 1.4 mgd. The remaining design capacity of the
WRF is 0.1 mgd.
CWD sewer design criteria state:10
Sewage flows shall be determined from maximum potential population of the tributary area. Unless otherwise approved, the following criteria shall be used:
If the number of housing unit[s] is known:
• 3.64 persons/SFD (Single Family Dwelling) 100 gallons/capita/day (gcpd); and
• 2.15 persons/MFD (Multiple Family Dwelling) 100 gcpd.
This design criterion provides for a conservative estimate of wastewater generation as it assumes a
household size greater than the City of Camarillo average of 2.65 people per household for single-family
dwellings. Furthermore, as the project is a senior citizen housing development, it is expected that
household size would be even lower than the average of the City, generating approximately 2 residents
10 Camrosa Water District, Design and Construction Standards, 2-1.
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per household. Table 6.19-1, Project Wastewater Generation, provides estimated wastewater generation
for each of the proposed project’s development concepts.
Table 6.19-1 Project Wastewater Generation
Land Use Dwelling
Units Dwelling Density
Generation factor (gpcd)
Wastewater Generation
(gpd) Residential Development
300 2 persons per DU (600 residents)
100 60,000
gpcd = gallons per capita per day; gpd = gallons per day Source: Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, August 2010
A sewer study11 was prepared to determine the proposed project’s sewer generation loads and the
potential impact on the existing sewer conveyance system. This sewer study analyzed two scenarios for
the proposed project, a 260-unit medium-density scenario, and a 338-unit high-density scenario. Based on
the analysis, the medium and high-density scenarios generated a sewer load of 69,608 gpd and
86,080 gpd, respectively.
As shown in Table 6.19-1, the wastewater generated by the currently proposed project would be less than
the sewer load analyzed in the sewer study and less than the WRF’s remaining capacity of 0.1 mgd
(100,000 gpd). Wastewater generated by the proposed project would, therefore, be able to be
accommodated by the current capacity of the WRF. Impacts would be less than significant.
Conveyance System
The proposed project would connect to an existing 8-inch sewer line which currently serves residences in
the Hillridge Drive area. As described above, a sewer study was prepared to determine the proposed
project’s potential impact on the existing sewer conveyance system. For a conservative analysis the sewer
study analyzed the flattest pipeline sections within the existing CWD sewer system, which are the most
constrictive portions of the gravity sewer system, for the anticipated peak flow.12 The CWD design
constraint for peak flow of sewer pipes less than 12-inches in diameter is half capacity. The CWD design
constraint for peak flow of sewer pipes greater than 12-inches in diameter is two-thirds capacity. The two
scenarios presented in the sewer study resulted in a larger generation load on the existing CWD system
than those calculated by the proposed project.
11 Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, August 2010. 12 Penfield & Smith, Sewer Study, (2010) 2.
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The sewer study analysis of the highest peak flow sewer rates (86,080 gpd) indicates that, with the
exception of two 8-inch pipes in Hillridge Drive, all affected sewer lines would remain within the CWD
design constraints. The two 8-inch lines that exceed the design constraint requirement exceed the
requirement by 0.6 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. The study concluded that the amount of excess
capacity at peak flow for the 8-inch pipes is negligible and that implementation of the project would be
within the realm of acceptable engineering principles.
The sewer study recommends that no improvements to the existing collection system would be
required.13
The proposed project would result in less generation of sewer loads on the existing system than those
analyzed in the sewer study. Consequently, the recommendation would remain the same and no
improvements to the existing collection system would be required. Impacts would therefore be less than
significant.
Pump Station
As mentioned above, the proposed project would need to extend a sewer line approximately 1,200 feet
from the primary entrance east and then south to connect with the existing sewer line within Hillridge
Drive. The elevation increases approximately 20 feet from the primary entrance to the existing sewer line
in Hillridge Drive. The elevation change would not allow flow to naturally be feed by gravity. As a result,
the proposed project would construct a pump station west of the primary entrance to move wastewater
under pressure to the Hillridge Drive connection point to begin gravity feed flow of wastewater. The
future pump station would be dedicated to CWD for operation and maintenance. As a result, potential
impacts to the sewer conveyance system would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.
Residual Impacts
Impacts would be less than significant.
13 Penfield & Smith, Sewer Study (2010), 3.
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Result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider, which serves or may serve the project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project’s projected demand in addition to the provider’s existing commitments.
Impacts
As discussed previously, the CWD WRF has adequate capacity to treat the wastewater generated by the
proposed project under each development concept. CWD has indicated that the lack of an existing sewer
connection to the proposed project site is the only impediment to providing wastewater services to the
proposed project. Impacts would, therefore, be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.
Residual Impacts
Impacts would be less than significant.
6.19.8 CUMULATIVE ANALYSIS
Related projects can be found within Section 5.0, Cumulative Scenario. The CWD Sanitary Sewer Design
and Construction Standards provide generation factors for nonresidential projects in terms of equivalent
dwelling units (EDU).14 These factors are used in the following cumulative analysis.
Impacts
Cumulative projects located within the CWD wastewater service boundary would generate wastewater
that would be conveyed to the WRF. Table 6.19-2, Related Projects Wastewater Generation, uses CWD
wastewater generation and EDU factors to estimate the wastewater generation of the related projects.
Table 6.19-2 Related Projects Wastewater Generation
Project Type Square feet /
Units EDU
Factor EDU Generation Factor Wastewater Generation
Commercial1 42,630 0.2 per 1,000 sf
8.5 3.64 persons per unit; 100 gpcd
3,094 gpd
Industrial 44,186 0.2 per 1,000 sf
8.8 3.64 persons per unit; 100 gpcd
3,203 gpd
14 Camrosa Water District, Design and Construction Standards, 2-22–2-25.
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Project Type Square feet /
Units EDU
Factor EDU Generation Factor Wastewater Generation
Multi-family residential
749 DU 749 DU 749 DU 3.64 persons per unit; 100 gpcd
272,636 gpd
Total 278,933 gpd DU = dwelling unit; EDU = equivalent dwelling units; gpcd = gallons per capita per day; gpd = gallons per day Source: Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, August 2010
Related projects are estimated to generate approximately 278,933 gpd of wastewater at buildout. As
shown in Figure 6.19-1, not all related projects are located within the sewer service areas of Camarillo.
Therefore, wastewater generation from most related projects would be diverted to other respective
agencies and would not be cumulatively considerable for impacts to CWD. Furthermore, all projects
would follow local protocol, as did the proposed project, in coordinating with respective water
reclamation agencies for a sewer availability analysis before project approval. Any associated city fees or
fees for the improvement of existing sewer infrastructure to help accommodate additional wastewater
shall be paid by the project applicant before implementation. Therefore, cumulative impacts would be
less than significant.
Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.
Residual Impacts
Impacts would be less than significant.
6.19.9 CONSISTENCY WITH GENERAL PLANS
The City of Camarillo General Plan Open Space and Conservation Element15 provides the following goals
and policies for wastewater that apply to the proposed project. An analysis of the consistency of the
proposed project with each of the general plan goals, objectives, and policies is provided below.
Open Space and Conservation Element
Policy The city will protect the watershed, groundwater sources, fresh water treatment, storage
and distribution system, and wastewater collection and treatment system from
contamination and damage.
15 City of Camarillo, City of Camarillo General Plan, “Open Space and Conservation Element,” 2006.
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Analysis: The proposed project would connect to an existing wastewater treatment plant, which
would treat project-generated wastewater to safe levels. The proposed project would, therefore, be
consistent with this policy.
Policy Strive for reclamation of municipal wastewater by treatment and sale to agricultural uses.
Analysis: Wastewater generated by the proposed project would be treated at the CWD WRF and
potentially used for agricultural irrigation. The proposed project is, therefore, consistent with this policy.
Summary
The proposed project is consistent with the City of Camarillo General Plan.
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