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Groundwater Quality

There are more than 200 active and standby public supply wells operated by SGA member agencies in the North Area Basin. Additionally, there are 22 independent small water systems relying on groundwater that are monitored by the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department.

To evaluate groundwater quality, SGA reviewed water quality data reported by SGA members. While each member agency is responsible for its own compliance with drinking water regulations, SGA utilizes this information to evaluate regional conditions with respect to water quality parameters of interest.

Note that water providers each year produce a Consumer Confidence Report–also known as an annual drinking water quality report–that provides information about local drinking water quality. Contact your water supplier for a copy of the most recent report. Find your water provider and contact information. 

Generally, the quality of groundwater in the basin is suitable for nearly all uses, with the exception of documented areas of contamination and localized quality issues.

Known Contaminant Plumes

Groundwater contaminant plumes within or near the North Area Basin are present from source areas at the former McClellan Air Force Base, the former Mather Air Force Base, Aerojet Superfund Site, the Union Pacific Railroad site in Sacramento and a number of industrial sites in north Sacramento. Further identifying and tracking these plumes and other more localized sources of groundwater contamination will continue to be a major focus of SGA.

Former McClellan Air Force Base: SGA has focused on the contamination at McClellan for the past decade. Through December 2015, the groundwater treatment system has removed an estimated 60,919 pounds of contaminants from groundwater over the life of the project. As of early 2016, the groundwater treatment system processes about 1,400 gallons per minute (gpm) through about 80 extraction wells. The treated water is discharged into Magpie Creek to the west of McClellan. The discharged water routinely meets discharge requirements imposed by the regulatory agencies.

Aerojet Superfund Site North of the American River: SGA has tracked the remediation efforts for the leading-edge contamination from the Aerojet Superfund Site, including the volatile organics beneath Sailor Bar Park and the nitrosodimethylamine in the vicinity of Ancil Hoffman Park.

Groundwater is pumped from extraction wells located in Sailor Bar Park and conveyed to a treatment facility (ARGET) on the Aerojet Site, south of the river. The treated water is discharge to Buffalo Creek to the American River, pursuant to the requirements of a permit from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

An extraction well and treatment facility (GET L-A) are located within Ancil Hoffman Park, and the treated groundwater is discharged to the American River under the NPDES permit when the golf course does not utilize the treated water for irrigation. An extraction well and treatment facility (GET L-B) are located at the Carmichael Water District Bajamont Way filtration plant for river water. The Aerojet treated water is discharged to the American River under the NPDES permit.

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