Seawater Intrusion Prevention Wells Near Completion
By Rebecca Gold Rubin
The Soquel Creek Water District’s Pure Water Soquel project has three primary elements: water treatment facilities; conveyance pipelines; and seawater intrusion prevention wells. I’m thrilled to share with you that one of those three key components — a set of three seawater intrusion prevention wells — is nearing completion of the well drilling!
Construction of these wells is an important milestone for this project, putting us one major step closer to providing a new, drought-proof, supplemental source of water for the community.
These wells go to a depth of around 500–800 feet and will be used to pump purified water into the groundwater basin. This will help replenish the underground aquifers, raise the water level to create a barrier to seawater contamination, and supplement this source of drinking water.
These glass beads are the packing material that goes around the well casing. They allow water to flow out into the aquifer.
Part of the work on these wells included drilling activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week for two-to-four-weeks at a time. We are so grateful to the residents near these wells for their patience as the work was underway! The next steps of these seawater intrusion prevention wells will occur in 2022 with installing the well equipment, site improvements, fencing, and landscaping.
Construction of the pipelines is commencing this spring that will transport water to and from the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Water Purification Center (to be built at Chanticleer Ave and Soquel Ave), and then carry that ultra-clean water to the seawater intrusion prevention wells for replenishment into the groundwater basin.
Be sure to visit soquelcreekwater.org/PWSconstruction for information about ongoing and upcoming construction for Pure Water Soquel, including maps and schedules, and to sign up for email construction updates.
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Visit www.soquelcreekwater.org/PWS for background and details about the Pure Water Soquel project.
Welding of the screen well casings. at the Willowbrook SWIP well