Aging water wells force $1.7M in imported water purchases
Cerritos
Summary
The city's 40-50 year old wells, pipes, and pump stations are wearing out. The C-4 well failed in October and a $643,000 repair starts in late January, taking about four months, during which the city must buy pricier imported water.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 28, 2026.
Impact analysis
About $643,000 for the repair plus roughly $196,000 (so far) in extra imported water costs.
Everyone who drinks Cerritos water — a repaired well restores lower-cost local groundwater.
Ratepayers facing the proposed water and sewer rate increase, particularly seniors on fixed incomes and small businesses.
Mentions & discussions (5)
City Council Meeting - Sep 28, 2026
Two city wells are offline or impaired — C-1 over manganese levels, C-4 with reduced capacity — forcing the city to buy imported water at nearly four times the cost of groundwater. The council approved $1.74 million in budget amendments, and Yokoyama argued the city is hemorrhaging reserves on 50-60 year-old infrastructure.
City Council Meeting - Aug 24, 2026
The city's largest producing well is running at reduced capacity after PFOS ('forever chemical') detection, forcing purchase of imported water at triple the cost. The council unanimously moved to apply for up to $11.5 million in state grant funding to build a replacement well and treatment system.
City Council Meeting - Jul 27, 2026
The 50-year-old C-4 well is running at less than half its original capacity, so the city is pivoting from repair to replacement — meaning residents will likely pay for imported water (three to four times the cost of groundwater) for roughly two more years.
Planning Commission (Special) - Jan 14, 2026
The city's 50-year-old water system is failing — the C-4 well broke in October and fixing it costs about $643,000, plus roughly $196,000 in pricier imported water while it's offline. Staff says about $23 million in water fixes and $3.9 million in sewer fixes are the bare minimum, which is what's driving the proposed rate increase.
City Council Meeting - Jan 12, 2026
The city's 40-50 year old wells, pipes, and pump stations are wearing out. The C-4 well failed in October and a $643,000 repair starts in late January, taking about four months, during which the city must buy pricier imported water.
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