Aqueous Vets® Quick Response Keeps Critical Stoneridge Well In Service In Northern California

Zone 7 Water Agency is a water wholesaler in Northern California that serves more than a quarter million residents. Blending water from both surface and groundwater sources has enabled Zone 7 to address many emerging contaminant concerns over the past several years. However, 2022 marked the third year of a severe drought that impacted the ability to blend surface and well water. They needed to utilize well water from the critical Stoneridge wellhead to ensure water supply reliability and adequate supply capacity if the drought continued into 2023.

In July 2022, the California State Water Board proposed a response level of 20 parts per trillion for perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS). The response level would have a significant impact on Zone 7’s Stoneridge Well – one of the most important wells to keep up with demand. Through August 2022, Zone 7 was able to pump in 17,000 acre-feet (AF) as planned. However, decreasing groundwater levels put Zone 7 at risk as some wells would need to be taken out of service for recovery periods and the aquifer would drop below a few wells. Stoneridge is ideally located over the aquifer and serves as one of the most productive wells, key to meeting a 2023 target of 14,700 AF of water.