Santa Clarita Valley Water has scheduled a virtual public meeting for the community to learn more about how the agency is keeping its water safe for drinking by addressing the public health and environmental effects of hazardous substances that have been identified in the Saugus Formation Aquifer.
Set for Feb. 11, the agency will provide an overview of project objectives and alternatives for removal of the hazardous substances. Officials announced installing such treatment could allow for the return of several wells to service.
“Our top priority is providing safe, reliable water for our customers and our community,” said SCV Water’s General Manager Matt Stone 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 meeting is part of the agency’s 30-day public comment period, which ends Feb. 24, on the Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis document and the associated Community Involvement Plan. This is a required step in the process to implement further treatment and seek funding reimbursement from potentially responsible parties.
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 V205) under active pumping conditions and ensures that the water produced by these wells satisfy 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, according to the agency.
The primary goals of the analysis are to: satisfy environmental review requirements for removal actions; identify the objectives of a removal action; provide a framework for evaluating and selecting alternative technologies; and analyze the alternatives based on effectiveness, implementability and cost criteria.
To submit comments, send comments no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 24 via email to Senior Engineer Jim Leserman at [email protected] and the subject line “Saugus Aquifer CIP, EE/CA Comment” or a hard copy via U.S. Mail to Leserman at 26521 Summit Circle Santa Clarita, CA 91350. For more information, visit yourSCVwater.com/removal-action.
