Beginning in late August, ACWD will be conducting groundwater sampling within the cities of Fremont, Newark and Union City. ACWD monitoring wells will be pumped so that groundwater samples can be collected and tested for water quality parameters. This work is necessary because groundwater is a critical source of water that makes up 30 to 60 percent of ACWD’s total water supply.
As part of the sampling protocol, a limited amount of groundwater must be removed from the wells and discharged to nearby storm drains. As a result, you may notice water temporarily flowing in the gutters near the sampling sites. ACWD staff have evaluated possible ways of recapturing or reusing the well water removed. Unfortunately, in most cases, it is not cost effective or technically feasible to do so. Alternatively, ACWD has taken additional steps to reduce the total amount of water pumped and discharged to better conserve our limited water resources during this time of drought. Monitoring our groundwater basin is key to protecting our groundwater resources and achieving our mission of providing a reliable supply of high quality water to our customers.