Port Hueneme Water Agency adopts $9.1 million FY26 budget and approves $1.1 million upfront CIP payment

The Port Hueneme Water Agency unanimously adopted its fiscal year 2026 operating budget and a $1.1 million capital improvement program (CIP), and approved a proposal to bill the CIP as a lump-sum in July, the board decided at its regular meeting.

The action approves a proposed $9.1 million combined revenue-and-expense budget for FY26 that reflects higher water purchase costs tied to rates from United Water and Callego's, and includes a separate $1.1 million CIP line item that staff asked be paid up front so large design and construction bills can be paid without waiting on monthly collections.

Ashley Chaparro, Finance Director for the Port Hueneme Water Agency, told the board that water purchases are the agency's largest expense and that PHWA follows the rate trends set by the entities it buys from. "Our water purchases is the biggest expense for the PHWA budget. This is gonna lead us as far as how much do we need to budget to then cover those costs," Chaparro said. She presented…