Groundwater monitoring keeps safe water flowing in City of Bell

• Federal funds secured by WRD to construct a vital groundwater monitoring well ensuring safe water

LAKEWOOD, CA, May 1, 2012 -- The Water Replenishment District of Southern California's (WRD)groundwater monitoring well in the City of Bell across from the Bell Community Center, continues to ensure groundwater safety for Bell residents.

In 2009, WRD worked with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard to secure over $400,000 in federal funds for this sole project to protect water quality and to better monitor water level data in this part of the District's 420-square mile service area.

"Three short years ago WRD secured critical funding aimed at monitoring and protecting the quality of drinking water for Bell residents. The documented success of this well project, located in the City of Bell, continues to reflect WRD's commitment to bringing outside resources to smaller cities in our service area that might not otherwise be able to obtain infrastructure funding that keeps water safe for the public," said WRD Division 4 Director Sergio Calderon. "In these tough economic times, we're proud to demonstrate how WRD's efforts to pursue federal dollars support local projects like this one in Bell, which benefit all residents."

The groundwater monitoring well is over a third of a mile deep, tapping into various underground water levels to provide important information on the area's groundwater supply. The well is part of the District's extensive monitoring well network under WRD's award winning Regional Groundwater Monitoring Program which evaluates the quantity of water below ground as well as the water quality to ensure compliance with drinking water standards. WRD's network is used to analyze groundwater conditions in the Central and West Coast Basins and to protect the region's water supply.

This information is vital as the population in California grows and costs for outside water supplies dramatically increase. Development of groundwater storage programs can help "drought-proof" the basin as excess water is stored during wet years and pumped for use during periods of drought. By protecting the quality of groundwater in WRD's service area and maximizing the use of the local water supply, the WRD Regional Groundwater Monitoring Program helps reduce this region's reliance on imported water from northern California and the Colorado River basin.

###