FMWD Embarks on Water Recycling Program

Foothill Municipal Water District (FMWD) announces its plans for developing the FMWD Recycled Water Demonstration Project (Demonstration Project).  The Demonstration Project plans for the innovative design of capturing, treating and recycling local sewage water, stormwater and irrigation runoff for indirect potable reuse (groundwater replenishment).  This Demonstration Project aims to help increase local water source reliability while decreasing the region’s need for imported water.

FMWD is pursuing the construction of a 0.25 million gallons per day membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment facility near the intersection of Oak Grove Drive and Berkshire Place located in the City of La Cañada Flintridge.  This MBR facility will produce recycled water that will help replenish the Raymond Groundwater Basin and allow FMWD to obtain pumping credits to distribute to five of its eight member agencies.  The five retailing water agencies that will be able to participate in the Demonstration Project are La Cañada Irrigation District (La Cañada, CA), Las Flores Water Company (Altadena, CA), Lincoln Avenue Water Company (Altadena, CA), Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association (Altadena, CA), and Valley Water Company (La Cañada, CA).

Supported by a student-designed prototype involving the Civil Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and the Urban and Regional Planning Departments of California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, one component of the Demonstration Project may involve the creation of a groundwater infiltration gallery underneath the artificial turf athletic field located at La Cañada High School.  Sites for the MBR treatment facility are currently being scoped for placement at either the La Cañada United Methodist Church or La Cañada High School.  Both entities are community partners in this endeavor.

FMWD has already begun its community outreach and is in the process of conducting meetings on the Demonstration Project to inform its customers and local area residents.  For further information about the Demonstration Project, please visit: http://www.fmwd.com/Project-Description.aspx.

Foothill Municipal Water District provides imported water to Crescenta Valley Water District, La Cañada Irrigation District, Mesa Crest Water Company, Valley Water Company, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, Las Flores Water Company and Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association.  Kinneloa Irrigation District, another retail agency, takes no water from Foothill.