Water treatment center for Ventura County at Point Mugu

OXNARD, Calif. - A $300 million water treatment plant is set to be built at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu. It is a partnership between the United States Navy and United Water Conservation District.

The brackish water treatment plant "will bring approximately three billion more gallons of water annually to Ventura County," said Mauricio Guardado, United Water Conservation District Chief.

The District manages the groundwater resources utilized by the cities of Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura, Santa Paula and Fillmore, as well as several mutual water districts, farms and individual pumpers.

The project is being funded by state and local grants. Guardado says $10 million in grants has been secured so far.

"Essentially, there is a sea water intrusion plume that hasn't been resolved for actually, believe it or not, a century," Guardado said. "This project will resolve that finally."

The plant will create potable drinking water, and water that will be used for irrigation for the navy and local farms, as well as recharging the ground water supply.

Phase one of the project is just getting started and Guardado says the plan is for the plant to be completed by 2030.