Decades ago, in the 1980s, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and chemicals seeped into the groundwater near the
Devil’s Gate Reservoir contaminating the Monk Hill Wells in Pasadena, California. In 1990 a treatment plant was constructed to treat the contaminants in the water supply. From the late 1990’s onward, various parts of the Monk Hill Wells were still found to have high concentrations of contaminants. Consequently, a valuable source of water was deemed unsafe for consumption and was turned off.

Enter Civiltec Engineering, Inc. Civiltec was tasked with the job of engineering new water treatment infrastructure for the Monk Hill Wells. In coordination with Pasadena Water and Power, NASA, Battelle, Calgon Carbon Corporation, RC Foster Corporation, Layne Christensen Company and jurisdictional agencies, Civiltec was placed in charge of planning and designing the Monk Hill Treatment and Disinfection System facilities (MHTS). MHTS is part of a larger, multi-phased program by NASA to remedy harmful chemicals in groundwater. MHTS has two main components: multiple on-site treatment systems at the Monk Hill Well Field and an off-site groundwater treatment plant.

Construction of new facilities and improvements to the on-site storage and pumping systems began in the spring of 2009. Construction activities at the well field site included cleaning and relining the wells coupled with installing pipelines, electrical components, high-efficiency booster pumps and motors, and storage.

At the same time, development at the off-site 7,000 gallon per minute water treatment plant was underway. Civiltec paid particular attention to the safety and aesthetics of this facility as it was constructed in a residential area containing a school.

Performance testing was completed in February 2011 and a drinking water permit was issued by the California Department of Public Health on March 17, 2011. The result: a valuable, revitalized groundwater source for the City of Pasadena. The quality of the water currently being drawn from the Monk Hill Wells not only meets, but exceeds jurisdictional quality expectations.