|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home > Projects > Talbert Seawater Intrusion Barrier: TALBERT SEAWATER INTRUSION BARRIER Since 1975, OCWD has operated a seawater barrier (underground water dam) to keep the ocean water from mixing with and contaminating your underground water supplies. Fountain Valley’s Seawater Intrusion Barrier is a series of 28 injection wells running along Ellis Avenue from Euclid Street to Newland Street. A mixture of wastewater purified at Water Factory 21 in Fountain Valley and deep well water is pumped to the wells and injected into the ground. This injected water creates an underground dam, blocking seawater from entering your groundwater basin. Seawater Intrusion Barrier Expansion Project: OCWD will soon begin a project to protect Fountain Valley's groundwater supply. The City of Fountain Valley uses groundwater for 75% of its water needs. Groundwater costs about one-third the price of imported surface water, yet this high-quality, low-cost groundwater must continue to be protected from seawater intrusion. OCWD filed a report under CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act) as a first step toward a construction project to install piping in Ellis Avenue and to drill injection wells in the Southern California Edison property near Newland Street (commonly called Harper Park). This project is vital to protecting the quality of our drinking water supply.
NOTE: The files with an asterisk require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software: 03.04.04 - Updated Schedule (Download* 56KB PDF file) Photo renderings of completed sites, before landscaping: Artist rendering of proposed site after construction, but before landscaping.
Artist rendering of proposed site after construction, and after landscaping. Frequently Asked Questions Where does your drinking water come from? More than half of the 3.6 billion gallons of water used in Fountain Valley each year is pumped from the groundwater basin by wells. Orange County Water District (OCWD) manages Orange County’s groundwater basin. The City of Fountain Valley pumps water out of the basin and also purchases water from Northern California and the Colorado River for delivery to your home. Groundwater costs the City of Fountain Valley one-third the price of imported water. For more than 65 years, OCWD has been protecting your drinking water supply and quality. Since 1975, OCWD has operated a seawater barrier (underground water dam) to keep the ocean water from mixing with and contaminating your underground water supplies. What is a Seawater Barrier? A seawater barrier is an underground dam of fresh water to keep seawater from mixing with your drinking water. Fountain Valley’s Seawater Barrier is a series of 28 injection wells running along Ellis Avenue from Euclid Street to Newland Street. Since 1975, a mixture of purified wastewater—meeting drinking water standards— from Water Factory 21 in Fountain Valley and deep well water has been pumped to the wells and injected into the ground. This injected water creates an underground dam, blocking seawater from entering your groundwater basin. Why is a Seawater Barrier vital to Fountain Valley’s water supply? The cities in north and central Orange County pump 75 percent of their water supplies from the groundwater basin, causing the basin water levels to be below sea level. Because Orange County’s groundwater basin has an underground connection to the ocean, seawater tries to flow into the basin. Without the current seawater barrier, many wells in coastal cities would have been shut down years ago due to seawater contamination. Why does the Seawater Barrier need to be improved? As groundwater pumping increases each year, seawater has more opportunity to flow into the groundwater basin. Tests performed by OCWD show that seawater is moving further inland, toward the ends of the current seawater barrier. To force seawater back to the ocean, additional injection wells are needed to extend the length of the barrier. How does this project benefit you? The Seawater Barrier in Fountain Valley protects your water bills and the groundwater supply that costs much less than imported water—water that could become less reliable in the future. During times of drought, your groundwater basin is an invaluable resource. What will be the final result of this construction project? OCWD has already drilled six new wells on the east end of the Seawater Barrier. This project in your neighborhood will provide six new injection wells (on two sites) on the west end of the Seawater Barrier. What are the different parts of the new construction project? This Seawater Barrier Improvement Project includes laying new pipeline in Ellis Avenue from Newland Avenue to Mt. Stewart Circle; laying new pipeline from Ellis Avenue to the new well sites; building a one-lane access road from Ellis Avenue to one well site; drilling six wells at two sites (three wells at each site); testing and developing the wells; and restoring the original landscaping. When will this project take place? Construction is projected to begin in February 2003 and be completed in January 2004. Why did you choose this site for the project? Hydrogeologically, it’s the best site. The two sites in the Southern California Edison utility corridor are on the west side of current Seawater Intrusion Barrier, and they are south of current Barrier. The spacing of the sites meets the geological requirement for each well to be about 450 feet apart. These wells will use existing infrastructure and are in open land. Finally, Edison directed us to build on east side of park. Changes To Project (based on suggestions by neighborhood and OCWD): - Restricted construction/drilling hours For further information, contact:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| using the Google search engine: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About OCWD | Board of Directors | News | Projects | Programs | Jobs | Links | Glossary | Index | Home ©1997 - 2004 Orange County Water District. All Rights Reserved. Last modifed: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
