SCV Water calling for input on Saugus Formation Aquifer

Santa Clarita Valley community members are invited to provide input to SCV Water on the removal of hazardous substances that have been identified in the Saugus Formation Aquifer.

The water agency is aiming to keep its water safe for drinking water consumption through minimizing and mitigating the public health and environmental effects of hazardous substances that have been identified.

The public is invited to review and comment on the engineering evaluation/cost analysis dated January 2021 regarding SCV Water’s proposed non-time-critical removal action for the Saugus aquifer and the associated community involvement plan.

“Our top priority is providing safe, reliable water for our customers and our community,” SCV Water’s General Manager Matt Stone said in a prepared statement. “We welcome community input as we take steps to safeguard our water supply and protect the public health and the environment.”

The goals of the analysis are to satisfy environmental review requirements for removal actions, administrative requirements for improved documentation of removal action selection and provide a framework for evaluating and selecting alternative technologies. 

The analysis addresses the groundwater containing the hazardous substances perchlorate and volatile organic compounds entering four production wells, Saugus 1 and 2, V-201, and V- 205, under active pumping conditions and ensures that the water produced by these wells satisfies drinking water requirements of the California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water. 

Future response actions may be necessary to address the sources of the hazardous substances released to the Saugus Formation, and the migration pathways between the sources and SCV Water’s production wells.

SCV Water considers it important to implement a removal action to prevent, minimize and mitigate damage to public health, welfare and the environment. Therefore, SCV Water intends to select and implement a removal action as soon as practicable.

After the public comment period and public meeting, SCV Water is expected to review all comments and address them in a responsiveness summary and then issue an action memorandum, which authorizes and initiates the removal action process.

A virtual meeting is scheduled 4 p.m. Feb. 11 as part of the public comment period, with a comprehensive fact sheet and more details available at yourSCVwater.com/removal-action. 

The 30-day public comment period runs until 5 p.m. Feb. 24, with comments accepted if postmarked or emailed by the deadline. 

Comments can be submitted to Jim Leserman, senior engineer, via email at [email protected] or by mail addressed to Leserman at SCV Water, located at 26521 Summit Circle, and should include “Saugus Aquifer CIP, EE/CA Comment” in the subject line.