Las Virgenes water district outlines rate study, says local supply projects will reduce reliance on imported water

Las Virgenes Municipal Water District officials told the Agoura Hills City Council that the district’s planned investments in local water projects would reduce the agency’s reliance on imported water and that a five‑year rate study proposes phased increases to cover those costs.

The presentation on the district’s work was given by Ricky Clark, public affairs associate for Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, and Brian Ritchie, the district’s director of finance and information technology, with LVMWD Board Director Gary Burns in attendance. Clark said LVMWD is “100% reliant on imported water,” and that the district is pursuing supply diversification including the Pure Water Project (about 30% of drinking water locally) and a pilot with OceanWell’s ocean desalination technology that could provide “up to…