In less than two minutes, without speakers or discussion, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution concerning stormwater quality management so the city would qualify for $300,000 in property tax money.

That revenue may turn out to be a drop in the bucket for future stormwater expenses.

The resolution allows the city to be a part of the Ventura County Watershed Protection District's 200910 benefit assessment program. That means T.O. can join with nine other Ventura County cities, the county and the county's flood control district to apply for a national Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the state Water Resources Control Board in Los Angeles.

By voting at the April 21 council meeting to participate in the program, the city hopes to get $300,000 in revenue, which will be used to partially fund the city's federally mandated Stormwater Management Program.

A greater emphasis on stormwater quality began in 1972 when then-President Richard Nixon signed the Clean Water Act, requiring factories to stop polluting rivers. Wastewater treatment plants were monitored, too.

"Our wastewater treatment plant cleans water so thoroughly, it now reaches the level of clean drinking water," said public works director Mark Watkins.

When major sources of pollution were adequately regulated, the focus included city storm drain systems.

In 1987 regulations creating permit application requirements for stormwater were mandated, but not funded, by the federal government. The water flowing from business parking lots, rooftops, people's yards and other areas inside a city was required to be clean.

Runoff pollutants such as horse manure, dog feces, fertilizer and other substances are now required to be monitored. If samples of stormwater are found to be polluted with bacteria, for instance, the city must find out where it's coming from and design a plan to clean it up, Watkins said.

In 1992, the City Council joined with other Ventura County cities, the county and the county's flood control district to develop a Stormwater Discharge Management Program. Together they applied for a permit from the Water Quality Control Board and were issued one in 1994. That permit was renewed in 2000. The permits are supposed to last five years, although the last one has been in effect for almost 10 years.

The City Council's action to allow the city to join with the county, other cities and the watershed protection district means the city qualifies for property tax money to help pay some of the expense to meet the federal requirements.

The city will get back about $300,000. The cost to the city to fulfill the requirements of the last permit in 2000 was about $600,000. This permit, which is a document 2 inches thick, has many more requirements and is expected to cost the city a lot more cash from its general funds, Watkins said.

The Water Quality Control Board met on May 7 when city officials were expected to learn what's required of them