Santa Clara Valley Water District is expected to finish constructing new wells at John D. Morgan Park in late May.
The five 400-foot deep wells will help gather information about water flow and will be used as part of a project for “indirect potable reuse,” according to Tom Mohr, a hydrogeologist for the water district.
Indirect potable reuse involves mixing purified recycled water into an outdoor system such as a reservoir or groundwater basin for filtration. The district is trying to see if purified recycled water could be put into the nearby percolation ponds for groundwater replenishment and used at a later time as drinking water.
“The wells will help to give us a detailed look at the how groundwater is moving and the quality of it at different depths,” Mohr said, adding data collected from the wells will allow the water district to see if there is anything in the water that might corrode pipes or be harmful to one’s health.
That project is still in its planning phases, and the wells are a key permit requirement, Mohr said.
Mohr said the project could help the water district with new ways to provide drinking water during droughts. During the most recent drought, the district relied on imported water from the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
“Turning to this approach will allow us to sustain local allocations of water, and we won’t have to rely on imported water,” Mohr said.”We have to be creative in finding water supplies.”
Samples and data from the wells will be done over two years and collected four times each year, Mohr said.
“If the district decides to move forward with the indirect potable reuse project, we will apply for a permit from the state division of drinking water,” he said.
He added that the district must demonstrate that any purified recycled water put into the percolation ponds in Campbell will remain in the ground for six months before it is pumped out for use.
The park’s south parking lot on Budd Avenue was chosen as the site for the monitoring wells since it is approximately 600 feet downstream from the percolation ponds along San Tomas Expressway, according to Mohr. The location will allow the district to monitor water movement.
After construction is complete the wells will be enclosed in a sturdy utility box. The parking lot as it will be resurfaced and restriped.
Construction on a soundwall and monitoring wells began in February. The district wants to wrap up well construction before Little League play is in full swing.
For more information, visit valleywater.org or contact Kristen Yasukawa at kyasukawa@valleywater.org.
