NORTHRIDGE GROUNDWATER STORAGE AND EXTRACTION FACILITY UPGRADE
Background
The Fair Oaks Water District (FOWD) supplies water to its customers from the Northridge Well located at 5150 Cocoa Palm Way. The well was constructed in 1992 and will be replaced to improve production capacity. Completion of this project will increase water supply reliability for the valued customers of the FOWD.
FOWD plans to destroy the old well and reconstruct a new well on an adjacent parcel to the current site. In an effort to minimize noise from the new well during normal operations, it will be equipped with submersible pump and motor located underground.
Following the well site improvements, a new concrete masonry building, perimeter wall, and access gate will be
constructed.
What to Expect
Removal of the existing well pump and motor will begin on June 6, 2025. The old well will be destroyed the following week. Residents in the immediate vicinity may experience slight vibrations and noise during well destruction. This work will take place during daylight hours.
Beginning in late June, a large drilling rig and support equipment will arrive onsite. Initial work will include the
installation of a temporary 16-foot high sound wall around the construction site to minimize impacts of construction activities on the neighborhood. It is estimated to take about a week to set up all of the equipment. After the equipment is set up, drilling will begin and must continue for 24-hours per day until the well is completely drilled. It is estimated that the well drilling operations will require 5 days of continuous construction activity, on 3 separate occasions, to drill each section of the well.
The drilling activity will be followed by well testing, cleanup of the site, and demobilization of equipment. Altogether, the contractor is scheduled to complete this phase of the project within 90 days of moving onto the site. Phase II of the project, involving equipping of the new well and facility construction, will take place at a later date.
During construction of the well, a temporary construction easement surrounding the well site will be utilized to store equipment and well construction materials. This project has been carefully coordinated with the San Juan Unified School District to minimize impacts to students and to campus facilities. It is not anticipated that a full road closure of Kaula Drive will be required for the project.
FOWD contractors will do everything reasonably possible to be a good neighbor during the well construction. FOWD is requiring the contractor to place a 16-foot high sound wall around the site to limit the noise of the drilling equipment during the periods where we must work 24-hours per day. The equipment storage area and well site will be fenced to prevent unauthorized access to the site. After the well is constructed, all work will proceed during normal working hours of 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Construction of this new groundwater production facility will cause unavoidable short-term inconvenience to residents in the immediate vicinity of the proposed improvements – but there will be no interruption of water service to your homes.