Stearns Park Project
Pictured: Aerial image of active construction on Alamitos 9A & Alamitos 14 at Stearns Park
Project Information
Long Beach Utilities will begin construction to equip two municipal water supply wells at Stearns Champion Park in the winter of 2025. The two water supply wells, Alamitos 9A and Alamitos 14, will be equipped with pumps, motors, yard piping, and electrical equipment. Additional work includes landscaping improvements at both water supply well sites. The project will also remove the three inactive wells and rehabilitiate the existing parking lot by the Stearns Champions Park Community Center.
Project Timeline
The estimated project completion date is fall 2026.
Fiscal Year
|
Project Milestone
|
Status
|
|
2021
|
Drilling Design and Permitting
|
Completed
|
|
2022
|
Drilling Design and Permitting
|
Completed
|
|
2023
|
Drilling and Equipping Design
|
Completed
|
|
2024
|
Drilling and Equipping Design
|
Completed
|
|
2025
|
Equipping
|
Active
|
|
2026
|
Equpping / Permitting
|
Not Started
|
|
2027
|
Activate Wells
|
Not Started
|
Project Documents
October 3, 2024 - Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners Meeting Agenda Item 3
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the purpose of the project?
Large groundwater basins lie beneath Los Angeles County and have served as natural reservoirs for storing water underground for millions of years. Groundwater is a water supply that is local, sustainable and cost efficient. Long Beach has groundwater wells located throughout the city and currently has water rights to pump approximately 33,000 acre-feet of groundwater per year. This amount is enough to fulfill about sixty percent of the city's water needs. Through this project, Long Beach Utilities will build two new groundwater wells at Stearns Park: one to replace an existing well onsite and one brand new well. As we continue to face the challenges of climate change, finding sustainable, local sources for water is more important than ever. Long Beach Utilities is committed to ensuring greater access to groundwater, which is our most reliable and affordable water source.
2. Why are you building these wells in Stearns Park?
Long Beach Utilities identifies groundwater well locations based on a variety of criteria, including groundwater quality, well production potential and site accessibility, as well as the proximity to existing water mains, which minimizes construction impacts and overall cost. For more than 100 years, Stearns Park has played a critical role in groundwater production in Long Beach. There are currently three active groundwater wells in the park and all have been actively providing our community with drinking water. This project will replace one of those wells and create one additional well. An independent study completed in 2020 identified potential well sites based on a number of factors. Stearns Park was again identified as a key well location in our efforts to increase local pumping of groundwater. Amid new regulations from the California Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water, standards for selecting groundwater well sites have become more restrictive. These new well locations have met these standards and have been approved by the Division of Drinking Water.
3. How will this project affect my neighborhood? How will you address noise concerns?
The well project has minor impacts, including construction equipment in the park and construction vehicles parked along 23rd Street. Noise and other disruptions from construction will be minimal.
4. How will this project impact the park?
The well construction project will not have major impacts on park activities, as both sites are located on the northern end of the park along 23rd Street and away from the playground, baseball fields and basketball and tennis courts. The areas surrounding the construction zones will be closed off to the public. Additional trees will be planted within Stearns Park to replace the trees removed during the drilling phase. Long Beach Utilities will replace every tree that is removed with two new trees; tree planting efforts are being coordinated with the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Marine.
5. Will the well drilling impact my property? How do you know it is safe?
In spring 2022, Long Beach Utilities commissioned an independent geotechnical evaluation for the construction of the two wells in Stearns Park. The study evaluated the soil and geological conditions at the site to provide recommendations for design and construction. By following these evidence-based construction recommendations, Long Beach Utilities can ensure that all safety measures are met. In addition to this scientific study, the project received approval by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, the State Water Resources Control Board and the Water Replenishment District.
Additional Questions?
For more information about the project, please e-mail Nikolas Baykal at nikolas.baykal@lbwater.org or call at 562-570-2347.