LATHROP — Lathrop has more wiggle room when it comes to sewer space after the city reclaimed sewer allocations from a stalled condominium project.

In fall 2005, Larry Aguilar bought a chunk of sewer space for a condo complex he hoped to build on the east side of the city, according to public works director Cary Keaten.

In January 2007, Aguilar asked for a refund for the sewer rights for personal reasons. The city agreed, but a few days later, Aguilar requested the allocations back.

The City Council denied Aguilar’s latest request, reclaimed his 32 allocations and reimbursed him the $74,000 he had paid for the sewer rights.

According to Keaten, Aguilar had sat on the sewer space for two years without moving forward with his project, a violation of city policy.

“The city just wants to allocate (sewer space) to projects that move forward,” Keaten said.

The move more than doubles Lathrop’s remaining sewer space, from 26 to 58 sewer allocations.

Sewer space for projects on the east side of town has been in very short supply recently. The city has limited access to Manteca’s sewage treatment plant, of which Lathrop owns a portion, until more sewer space becomes available at new plants on Lathrop’s west side.

City officials expect that space to open up in 18 months, pending complicated — and largely hush-hush — negotiations with the developers that will build the treatment plants.