As the custodians responsible for delivering water to and diverting wastewater from Santa Ana’s 27.2 square-mile service area, we are committed to anticipating new challenges, embracing innovative technologies, and addressing the evolving needs of our growing residential and business community.
Through our Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Water Resources Division continuously strives to enhance Santa Ana’s infrastructure, ensuring that we provide the best service and water quality available today and in the future.
The following major CIP projects have recently been completed, are currently in progress, or are scheduled to begin within the next 18 months. These initiatives will collectively enhance the resilience of our water supply and wastewater treatment facilities, optimize the efficiency of our city’s infrastructure, and expand our capacity to meet future demand.
The City’s water infrastructure serves all of Santa Ana’s residents and businesses over its 27.2 square mile service area. Our existing infrastructure includes 20 ground water wells, 7 import water connections, 7 pump stations, 10 reservoirs, and 480 miles of transmission and distribution pipelines.
PFAS Water Treatment Facility
Santa Ana’s Water Resources team at the PFAS Water Treatment Facility.In recent years, Santa Ana has had seven groundwater wells affected by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which were voluntarily taken offline after trace amounts of these compounds were found. These wells are among dozens in Orange County that were removed from service in 2020 after the state of California lowered the Response Level advisories of PFOA and PFOS, two legacy PFAS compounds no longer produced in the United States.
In partnership with the OCWD, Santa Ana’s Water Resources Division recently completed construction on the City’s first water well treatment head-works dedicated to removing PFAS from local well water. This facility is part of OCWD’s comprehensive effort to design and construct 35 PFAS treatment facilities across Orange County over the next two years, ensuring our water supply remains the highest quality in the nation.
Situated within the existing Well 40 site, the new treatment facility is now operational and capable of treating up to 2.5 million gallons of water per day. The facility employs an Ion Exchange (IX) treatment system consisting of highly porous resin that acts as powerful magnets, adsorbing and retaining contaminants. During treatment, contaminants such as PFAS are effectively removed from the water before it enters the distribution system.
With the facility now online, we can finally tap into the well that has remained inactive since 2021, enabling us to pump groundwater, which is a less expensive and more reliable alternative to imported water. Furthermore, we have ongoing plans to set up treatment facilities at two additional sites in Santa Ana.
Improved SCADA System
We are proud to announce the successful installation of a new technology platform for our Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) control system.
The upgraded SCADA system incorporates networked data communications, graphical user interfaces, and peripheral devices such as programmable controllers to enable the highest level of supervisory management. It allows us to remotely monitor and control our water distribution infrastructure, including operating water pumps, filling reservoirs, maintaining pressure, troubleshooting, and swiftly identifying and resolving service disruptions.
San Lorenzo Sewer Lift Station
We also completed the relocation and modernization of the San Lorenzo Sewer Lift Station. This $10.5 million project involved replacing the aging Segerstrom Lift Station, situated beneath Bristol Street, with a new state-of-the-art station located at the end of San Lorenzo Avenue, just east of Bristol Street.
The construction of the new San Lorenzo Lift Station involved the installation of an above-ground block building to house sewage pumps and motors with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), new electrical and instrumentation system controls, approximately 1,500 linear feet of sewer pipeline, sewer manholes and gate valves, as well as the demolition of the existing Segerstrom Lift Station.
The new lift station is now operational and conveying sewer flows to the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) treatment plant through the OCSD’s Santa Ana Trunk sewer pipeline.
The improvements made at the new facility will:
- Provide a safer and more accessible working environment for staff.
- Significantly reduce the risk of major sewer spills.
- Alleviate traffic congestion on Bristol Street during routine maintenance activities.
- Enhance the aesthetics of the surrounding area.
AMI Initiative Moves to Full Deployment
We are excited to report the completion of the beta phase of our $30 million AMI initiative, marking the beginning of the citywide full-scale deployment. During the alpha and beta phases, we constructed a communications system with four new antenna towers and installed smart meters at 1,800 strategic test sites. Rigorous testing and refinement were carried out to ensure system functionality.
The next phase involves replacing the remaining old meters with smart meters citywide. This phase shall be completed by the end of 2025.
Our AMI initiative offers many benefits to residents, including:
Water Conservation — Smart meters empower customers to set conservation goals and manage budgets effectively. By accessing water data online, customers can closely monitor their water consumption so they can make more informed decisions, stay within rate tiers, and save money.
Detecting Leaks — Smart meters provide round-the-clock readings and alert customers to anomalies that may indicate a leak.
Improved Service — AMI meters enable customers to receive more efficient and prompt service. With 24/7 access to water usage data, residents can proactively address concerns with customer service and identify issues like leaks, without waiting for a bi-monthly bill.
Future Water Projects
We are investing in capital improvement projects, including the renovation of two wells and a pump station. These projects will involve the installation of new facilities, equipment, and state-of-the-art controls systems. Additionally, we are embarking on the construction of the Washington Well, which marks the first new well in Santa Ana in 15 years.
Well 29 — This project will encompass a complete renovation of the well, including the installation of a new pump, motor, and well pipe header components. Furthermore, a new building will be constructed to enclose the well pump as well as its mechanical, electrical system, instrumentation and controls.
Well 32 — Offline for nearly a decade, Well 32 will undergo upgrades to meet new state-regulated code standards. Upgrades include a new above-ground well building and electrical room as well as a new well pump, motor, and corresponding mechanical, electrical and system controls. A conveyance pipeline will connect Well 32 to the Garthe Pump Station, where blending treatment will take place.
Garthe Pump Station — As the largest pump and reservoir station in the city, the Garthe Pump Station stores over 15 million gallons of water from four groundwater wells. The improvements planned for this station include the construction of a new disinfection control room, on-site piping, and the installation of new mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control systems.
Washington Well — We’re planning to drill a new well in northeastern Santa Ana to further decrease our dependence on imported water. This project will be constructed in two phases. The first phase of the project includes drilling the well.
Phase two includes constructing a new well building and disinfection facility, and equipping the new well with electrical, mechanical, and system instrumentation and controls. Thanks to a federal grant, a significant portion of the total cost for the Washington Avenue Well project will be funded.