La Habra-Brea Management Area
Control of Saline Water Intrusion
Raised salinity is a significant water quality problem in many parts of the southwestern United States and southern California, including Orange County. Elevated salinity is of concern as it can limit the implementation of recycling water projects and potentially require water purveyors to perform additional treatment on their water supplies. The level of salinity is sometimes measured based on Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) concentrations. The TDS concentrations in the La Habra Basin are naturally occurring and it is not believed that current activities in the basin significantly contribute to the TDS loading in the basin. The TDS concentrations are not a result of saline water intrusion. The TDS concentrations in the City of La Habra’ s wells are below the secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 1,000 mg/L. TDS is listed as a secondary constituent as it does not directly cause harm to consumers but can affect the aesthetic quality of the water, including taste.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
The City of La Habra is under the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, Order R8-2009-0030. The current adopted permit requires mandates for the implementation of water quality control programs including adopting development standards for existing and new development. Although the NPDES permitting program is intended to protect surface water quality by preventing unauthorized stormwater discharges and discharges to navigable water, groundwater quality is also protected through the NPDES program incidental percolation of surface water into the groundwater occurs. The City of La Habra implements additional best management practices to prevent pollutant discharges. To assist developers and owners with implementation of NPDES requirements and best management practices for construction projects, the City of La Habra has created a Construction Runoff Guidance Manual. Likewise, the Model Water Quality Management Plan has been developed to address urban runoff and pollution. A water quality ordinance has been adopted (La Habra Municipal Code Chapter 13.24) to locally enforce California stormwater regulations. Additionally, the City of La Habra conducts investigations, inspections, trainings, maintenance, and public education to reduce pollution and contamination. These management practices
Blending Program
As discussed in Section 3.2.5, groundwater contamination exists in portions of the La Habra Groundwater Basin. To manage groundwater quality concerns, the City of La Habra blends groundwater from the La Habra Groundwater Basin with imported water (both groundwater and surface water) in order to reduce contaminant levels prior to distribution. See also Section 11.4 discussion on management programs.
2017 BASIN 8-1 ALTERNATIVE
6-3
Appendix F - 38
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