Ventura City Manager Reports Water Caught on Fire in Pierpont Storm Drain

During a tense community meeting on January 14, 2026, Ventura City Manager Bill Ayub revealed a shocking detail regarding the ongoing gasoline contamination in the Pierpont neighborhood. Ayub informed members of the Pierpont Community Council that standing water inside a storm drain actually caught on fire during the first week of January. The incident occurred on January 5, following reports of strong fuel odors near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Monmouth Way.

Rising Groundwater Triggers New Emergency

The fire, which was quickly extinguished by emergency crews, is being blamed on a massive underground gasoline plume that has plagued the area since late 2024. While the original leak at the Harbor Sinclair station was repaired over a year ago, an estimated 2,300 gallons of fuel remain trapped in the surrounding soil and groundwater. Recent heavy winter storms caused the local water table to rise significantly, pushing the legacy gasoline into the storm drain system through cracks and gaps in the aging concrete pipes.

The presence of enough fuel to ignite on the water’s surface underscores the "extreme peril" residents have faced for over 16 months. Initially, some community members feared a new spill had occurred, but city officials confirmed that the January 5 event was a direct result of the existing contamination being mobilized by the rain. Since the fire, the city has installed temporary containment basins and is using vacuum trucks to pump out impacted water daily to prevent another flare up.

Community Frustration and the Path Forward

Residents at the meeting expressed deep frustration with the slow pace of the cleanup, which is overseen by the State of California. Many neighbors reported being unable to open their windows due to noxious fumes and shared fears for the long term health of their children. While the city has slip lined some pipes with impermeable plastic, the comprehensive soil remediation by the gas station's owners is expected to take several more years.

City Manager Ayub emphasized that the city is pushing for more aggressive action from state regulators. A major wastewater pipe replacement project is scheduled to begin later in January 2026, which officials hope will provide a permanent seal against the gasoline plume. Until then, Monmouth Way remains closed to through traffic, and the neighborhood remains under constant vapor monitoring to ensure that the flammable gases do not reach dangerous levels inside nearby homes again.