About the Wastewater Division
The Wastewater Division is organized into seven functional areas – Administration, Operations, Maintenance, Collection System, Laboratory, Infrastructure Management, and Technical Services.
Responsible for the overall management, administrative, planning and budget services for the Division.
Responsible for the daily operation of the Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plant (OWTP). The OWTP is staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days a week including holidays and weekends. The group is responsible for permit compliance with federal, state, and local laws; process control and optimization; equipment monitoring and troubleshooting; and biosolids management.
Responsible for predictive, preventative, and corrective maintenance of equipment and facilities for the Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plant (OWTP) and 15 lift stations. Staff is also responsible for responding to emergency equipment and process failures.
Responsible for the maintenance, inspection, cleaning, repair and upgrade of the City’s wastewater collection system.
Responsible for the operation, services and activities of the state certified wastewater treatment plant laboratory.
Responsible for the development, planning, implementation and coordination of planned and unplanned capital projects for the Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plant (OWTP) and the sewer collection system.
View Our Construction Progress!
Storage Building Site Preparation Construction
Storage Building Construction
New Electrical Building Construction
Responsible for the implementation of our National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) required Industrial Pretreatment Program.
What is wastewater pretreatment?
Wastewater pretreatment is the reduction, elimination or alteration of pollutants prior to discharge into the wastewater system.
It ensures wastewater discharged to our wastewater collection system meets local, state and federal discharge limits. Pretreatment protects the health and safety of the public and the environment, as well as the wastewater system and personnel.
How is the pretreatment program implemented?
The pretreatment program is implemented through the Wastewater Discharge permit process.
Permit Applications/Forms
If you need assistance determining which permit is required for your business, please contact the Wastewater Division at (805) 271-2200.
SIC Code Reminder: Please include the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code on the Permit Application Form. You can lookup SIC code information here.
Automotive – Related Businesses Application
Class A – Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
131.4 KB PDF | Updated 10/06/23
Dental Dischargers Application
Class D – Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
137.29 KB PDF | Updated 10/07/23
Laundromats – Commercial and Industrial Application
Class L – Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
131.09 KB PDF | Updated 10/07/23
Restaurant/Food Service Establishments Application
Class R – Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
142.71 KB PDF | Updated 10/09/23
Categorical Industrial User (CIU) and Significant Industrial User (SIU) Permit information.
Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
Baseline Monitoring Report
177.67 KB PDF | Updated 04/29/24
Zero Discharge Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit
401.19 KB PDF | Updated 04/29/24
Renewal Application for Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit
177.67 KB PDF | Updated 04/29/24
Additional Information
City Code SEC. 19-25. PROHIBITED; DISCHARGE STANDARDS
City Code SEC. 19-35. PRETREATMENT FACILITIES
Statistics
| Wastewater Treatment Plant | |
|---|---|
| Rated Capacity | 31.7 Million Gallons per day |
| Average Daily Flow | 16 Million Gallons per day |
| Average Daily Biosolids Disposal | 80 Tons per day |
| Sanitary Sewer System |
|---|
| 400+ Miles of Sanitary Sewer |
| 7,620 Manholes |
| 15 Pump Stations |
Free Facility Tours
The Wastewater Division offers free facility tours. For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact Wastewater at (805) 271-2200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Per Section 19-11 of the Oxnard Code of Ordinances, private sewer connections, including the lateral, wye or saddle at the city’s sewer, shall be maintained (including repair and replacement) at the expense of the property owner of which the connection originates.
Private Sewer Lateral Maintenance
It is the property owner’s responsibility to maintain, repair and/or replace the Private Sewer Lateral
443.56 KB PDF | Updated 12/12/23
Alcantarillado Privado Lateral
Es responsabilidad del dueño de la propiedad mantener, reparar y/o reemplazar el Alcantarillado Privado Lateral
441.56 KB PDF | Updated 12/12/23
When a stoppage occurs, you should contact the City immediately at (805) 797-7598; this emergency number is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Wastewater personnel will come out to the site and assess the stoppage to determine if the obstruction is on the City’s side of the sewer line or the homeowner’s sewer service line. The City will clear any blockage that occurs in the City’s sewer main. Customers are responsible for blockages that occur in their private sewer lateral and connection.
You can set up a maintenance schedule to include annual cleaning of your private sewer lateral with a private service company, or you may need to have your service line videotaped to check its condition.
Do NOT flush disposable diapers and baby wipes as they will clog your sewer line. In addition, never pour grease or gummy substances down garbage disposals, toilets, or floor drains. Flammable liquids, i.e. used motor oil, gasoline, paint thinner, etc., should never be poured into your sewer line as they can cause a fire hazard or create a harmful coating on your sewer pipe. Never flush feminine hygiene products, pencils, pins, hypodermic needles, broken glass or other foreign objects that can lodge in your sewer service line and cause a sewer back-up.
Learn More About Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG)
Reminder: Wipes Clog Pipes
As responsible recreational vehicle (RV) owners, it’s essential to ensure that our adventures don’t negatively impact the watersheds we visit or reside in. Check out these RV maintenance Do’s and Don’ts.
Please contact us immediately for the following:
- Sewage spills
- Blocked sewer laterals
- Wastewater coming out of a manhole
- Wastewater in the street
- Missing, loose or damaged manhole covers
- Sinkholes
Phone: (805) 271-2200 (Monday – Friday; 7:30 am to 5:00 pm) Emergency After Hours: (805) 797-7598
The City of Oxnard is seeking assistance from citizens in identifying odor-related issues in the community. Please be our noses across the City and report nuisance odors by reporting to us during (or as soon as possible) the smell is noticed.
You can report an odor in two ways.
- Use Online Complaint Form
2. Calling City staff.
Wastewater Division Business Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm (805) 271-2200 After Hours: (805) 797-7598
When speaking with staff, please be prepared to report the following:
- Name and phone number
- Date, time and location when the odor was present
- How intense was the odor? 1-very faint to 8-very strong
- How would you describe the odor? Ammonia, burnt/smoky, cabbage-like, sewer/sewage-like, chemical/solvent, earthy/moldy/musty, fishy, manure, decaying grass, rotten egg, turpentine, woody or other
- Weather conditions at the time of the smell? Sunny, overcast, temperature, wind (calm, light breeze, moderate or strong) and humidity level
- Wind direction?
Please try to contact us while the nuisance odor is present. This will allow staff to assess the odor complaint while the problem is occurring.
The Wastewater Division has implemented a preventative maintenance program of sewer cleaning and condition assessment of the entire sewer collection system. The periodic cleaning and video taping of the sewer lines in your neighborhood can reduce the risk of any grease or root buildup which reduces the likelihood of sewer back-ups and/or sanitary sewer overflows. The City utilizes three sewer cleaning vehicles and one video truck with closed-circuit television (CCTV).
Sewer Video Vehicle
Sewer Cleaning Vehicle
CCTV Monitoring
CCTV in the Field
Resources
Wastewater Rates & Charges
Effective Sept. 1, 2021
293.88 KB PDF | Updated 04/22/24
Wastewater Ordinance 2917
City codes related to the wastewater system.
1.09 MB PDF | Updated 05/09/24
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Learn more about the City’s improvements to its Wastewater facilities.
Web Link
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit
City of Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plant
4.54 MB PDF | Updated 12/12/23