Spring 2011Issue Number 22

Ojai Valley Sanitary District(OVSD) officials say there arehundredsof localpropertyownerswhohaveunpermitted sewer con-nections,most often from illegallyconvertedgaragesandgrannyflats.Many of these property ownershavebeencollectingmonthlyrentsfrom tenantsof these second resi-dencesforyears. “All the while, these violatorshave been getting away with notpaying their fair share for sani-tary sewer service,” said John K.Correa, P.E. OVSD GeneralManager. “This is an importantissue because the sewer rates paidby the customers throughout theDistrict are subsidizing these un-permittedconnections.” The OVSD Board of Direc-torslastyearadoptedaprogramtoaddresstheillegalsewerconnectionproblemintheinterestoffairnesstobesurethatnobodygetsawaywithbeingservedforfreeandthatevery-oneistreatedequally

Amnesty Ends June 30, 2011

Phase One of the programwas a year of amnesty for viola-

tors starting July 1, 2010. Duringthis amnesty period, the Districtagreed to waive all unpaid sewerservicecharges,penaltiesandfinesfor those property owners whovoluntarily notify the District oftheirunpermittedconnectionsandtake the steps necessary to permitthose illegal connections. In or-der to permit the connection, theproperty owner must pay certainfees and charges, including appli-cable capacity charges and regularsewerservicecharges.(Seesidebar:“It’stheLaw.”) So far, only a few propertyowners with illegal sewer connec-tion have come forward to taketheDistrictuponitsoffer,andtheyear-longamnestyphaseisendingat the close of business June 30,2011.

Enforcement Period Begins July 1, 2011 During the second phase,fromJuly1,2011-onward,allprop-ertyownerswithunpermittedresi-dential connectionswillbe subjectto up to three years’ unpaid sewerservicecharges,fines,penaltiesand

If you have an unpermitted (bootlegged and illegal) sewer connection, and come forward voluntarily before July 1 to correct the situation, you can save between $3,800 and $4,800 in fines and penalties.

It’s the Law

ESTIMATED SAVINGS FOR COMPLIANCE DURING AMNESTY $3,784.57

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Time’s Almost Up! Amnesty Period

for Legalizing Sewer Connections Ends June 30

Vital Information on Sanitary Service for our Residents of the District

Ojai Valley Sanitary District

PIPELINE

Local property owners with unpermitted (bootlegged and illegal) sewer connections must inevitably correct the situation by settling up with the Ojai Valley Sanitary District. At this point, these sewer connection violators have a choice as to how much they will be required to pay. As in so many areas of life, timing is everything. There are stark differences between the charges during the amnesty period (ending June 30, 2011) and the enforcement phase from July 1, 2011 onward – as the figures below indicate.

During the Amnesty Period (Ending June 30, 2011)Most property owners who come forward voluntarily to notify the Ojai Valley Sanitary District of the illegal connection pay the following to correct the problem and permit the connection:

Connection-related capacity charges:Fees, including current year’s sewer service charge:TOTAL:

During the Enforcement Period (July 1, 2011-Onward)Most property owners who have not notified the Sanitary District (in accordance with the ordinance) of the illegal sewer connection or taken any effort to correct it during the amnesty period receive a letter from the District. A District inspection of the property is performed to confirm or deny the presence of the unpermitted connection. The property owner receives a Notice of Violation from the District, and is liable for the following charges, fines and penalties:

Connection-related capacity charges:Fees, including current year’s sewer service charge:Additional Fees & Penalties:TOTAL:

$15,400.00$800.00

$16,200.00

$15,400.00$800.00

$3,784.57$19,984.57

Ojai Valley Sanitary District1072 Tico Road, Ojai, CA 93023www.ojaisan.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORSGeorge Galgas, Division 1Assistant SecretaryRandy Burg, Division 2Pete Kaiser, Division 3Vice Chairman William O’Brien, Division 4Russ Baggerly, Division 5ChairmanStan Greene, Division 6William Murphy, Division 7Secretary

GENERAL MANAGERJohn K. Correa

PIPELINE

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A vastarrayofpharmaceuticals–in-cludingantibiotics,anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sexhormones–havebeen found in thedrinkingwater suppliesof at

least41millionAmericans,accordingtoanAssociatedPressinvestigation. Becausetheamountofthedrugsfoundinourwatersupplyishundredsor thousandsof times lower than thequantity found in themedicationswe take, it isnot clearwhat thepotentialharm is tohumans.However,researchhasshownthattherecanbedramaticeffectsonanimalsthatliveintheaquatichabitat,suchasfishandfrogs. Onemajorwaythatdrugsgetintorivers,streamsanddrinkingwatersuppliesisimproperdisposalofunusedorexpiredmedicationsbypeoplewhoflushthemdownthetoiletorpourthemdownthedrain. Locally, ifyouflushunusedorexpiredmedicationsdownthetoilet,you’reineffectflushingthemdirectlyintotheVenturaRiver. That’sbecausetheOjaiValleySanitaryDistrict’sWastewaterTreat-ment Plant processes–like all sewage treatment plants–are unable toremove many chemicals present in prescription, over-the-counter, andveterinary drugs, or personal care products.This is due to the chemicalstructureandpotencyofevenminisculeamountsofxenobioticchemicals.

Flowof such chemicals into the riverposes a threat to the aquaticenvironmentinseveralways,includinginterferingwithgrowthandrepro-ductioninaquaticorganisms.Exposuretohormonessuchasthosepresentin birth control pills or estrogen replacement products appears to causesexualmutationsinfishandfrogs.

Scientistsarealsoconcernedthatthepresenceofmedicationsinsurfacewaterbodiesmayincreasebacterialresistancetoantibiotics.Increasingly,publichealthauthoritiesandsanitationexpertsacrossthena-tionareeducatingpeopleontheimportanceofproperdisposalofunusedmedications.Moreandmorepeoplearetakingadvantageofdrugtake-backprogramsintheircommunitiesthatallowthepublictobringunuseddrugstoacentrallocationforproperdisposal. OnesucheffortlocallyisacollaborationbegunlastyearbetweentheVentura County Sheriff ’s Department and the Ventura County PublicHealthDepartment.Bothagenciesareconcernedabouttheenvironmen-tal impacts, and as well about children and teens who are increasinglygettingtheirhandsonpainkillers,stimulantsandotherdrugsleftaroundthehouse. OneinfiveteenshastriedVicodin,oneintenhastriedOxycontinorRitallinandoneinelevenhasadmittedtogettinghighoncoughmedicine,accordingtothePartnershipforaDrugFreeAmerica. Since last June, the county program has collected more than 2,700poundsofolddrugs.TheSheriff ’sDepartmenthasdrop-off locationsatcountyjailsandallofitsstations.

Toss Unused DrugsThe Right Way

Keep the medications in their original containers, scratching your name off to protect your privacy. Bag them, put the bag into a sturdy box and place it into the trash close to the time rubbish is picked up. Or in the alternative, avail yourself of this community take-back program:Drop off your unused medications at the Ojai Police Department, 402 S. Ventura St. Ojai.

To Safely Dispose of Unused or Outdated Drugs Ojai Valley Sanitary District Officials Offer These Recommendations:

otherDistrict costs related tocor-recting the unpermitted connec-tion,plusapplicablecapacitycharg-esandregularsewerservicecharges. AfterJune30,2011,theDis-trict will be actively identifyingsuspectedunpermittedconnectionsthroughlawfullyconductedinspec-tions. “We have already identifiedmorethan100apparentviolators,”saidCorrea. These will be the first to getlettersfromtheDistrictdiscussingthe alleged violation and notify-ing the owner of District officials’right, under the law, to enter thepropertyforaninspectiontoverifytheviolation.

Legal Rights and Obligations Spelled Out If anunpermitted connectionexists, the District will serve thepropertyownera“NoticeofViola-tion”bycertifiedmail.Amongotherthings,thisnoticewill:•Statethenatureandgroundsfor

theviolationandprovidecontactinformationbywhichtheownermay contact theDistrict regard-ingtheNotice.

• State the total amount that theowner must pay the District tocorrect the violation, detailingallcharges.

•Advisethatcorrectionofthevio-lation requires the owner to paytheDistrictthespecifiedchargeswithin 60 days of the date the

ownerwasservedwiththeNoticeofViolation.

•Advisethattheownerhasarightto a hearing and appeal on thematter and describe how theownermayrequestahearingandappeal.

•Advisethatiftheownerdoesnotpay the amount demanded inthe Notice of Violation within60days,thentheamountwillbeconsidered delinquent and un-paidchargessubjecttocollectionas part of the annual taxes nextlevied on the property, and willconstitutealienontheproperty.

Another Option to Consider Under the District’s new en-forcement policies, property own-

erswithanunpermittedresidentialconnection have the option, withno cost imposed by the District,of voluntarily disconnecting theunpermitted sewer connection oraltering the use of the offendingstructuresothat its sewerconnec-tiondoesnotrequireapermit. If you’re interested in legaliz-inganunpermittedsewerconnec-tionorneedadditionalinformationabout disconnecting an unper-mitted sewer connection, call theDistrict’sCustomerServiceRepre-sentative,Laurie Johnson,at (805)646-5548.

The complete ordinance addressing unpermitted

connections can be viewed on the District’s website at

www.ojaisan.org.

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Time’s Almost Up!