Well Water Boosts Buena Park’s Liquid Assets

Two new city wells will significantly cut the city’s dependence on “imported” water within the year, officials said.

The cost of loans from the Orange County Water District for the tests, drilling and construction of wells will quickly be offset when the city drops consumption of water from outside sources, said Loren Tuthill, deputy public works director.

The City Council earlier this week approved borrowing an additional $500,000 from the county’s water district to construct wellhead facilities. The district had previously loaned the city $1.5 million for the $2.2-million project.

Construction plans for the well at Larwin Park will come before the council in April.

The Boisseranc Park project is turning out to be even more successful than officials had hoped when they struck an aquifer under the park last year, Tuthill said.

“When we drilled the [test] well, we were estimating we would need 2,000 gallons per minute for it to pay for itself,” Tuthill said. “We hit 4,000 gallons per minute of perfect, clear water.”

Tuthill estimated that the city will save nearly $700,000 in water purchase costs the first year of operation. Construction will halt in July when sports teams and other groups use Boisseranc Park more heavily.