Atwater’s steps toward cleaner water continue: TCP project set for completion by August

Atwater’s drinking-water cleanup project is approaching two milestones, the City Council was told at this week’s meeting.

Work to remove the carcinogenic chemical 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) in the city’s water, which was first found in city wells nearly two years ago, is set to be completed in August, while new systems are expected to be bought online in June of this year, a project overseer said.

Even though the water is safe to drink, the TCP quantities exceed state-approved maximum contaminant levels, meaning that some residents who drink the water over several years may develop an increased risk of cancer.

New groundwater treatment systems allow for the removal of TCP from the city’s drinking water.

“The project is going really well,” said Mayor Paul Creighton at this week’s council meeting. “It’s a gigantic project, every corner of town is affected by this. As most people can understand in California, the quality of drinking water throughout the Central Valley is poor to say the best.”

In 2019, Atwater was awarded more than $63 million in net settlement proceeds from Shell Oil Company, Dow and others because those companies didn’t disclose that nematicide, a chemical used to kill small worms, contained TCP. The chemical was used on agricultural lands around Atwater, contaminating the city’s water.

The City Council dedicated those funds to the TCP Remediation Project that’s now nearing completion.

City water rates have not increased due to the project, Creighton told residents in a council meeting in September 2020.

Michael Beerends, an associate for GHD, gave the council an update this week regarding the construction of the systems. GHD is a global services company that specializes in engineering, construction and architectural expertise.

Well sites 15 (off Highway 99) and 16 (near Bellevue Road) have foundations being poured and additional prep work is taking place. Water lines are being installed off of Fruitland Avenue and from Well 17 to Fruitland.

W.M. Lyles Co., a Fresno-based construction company, is doing the construction and Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group is responsible for the design, while GHD oversees the implementation of the project.

The project was awarded in August to these organizations, with design approved in January and February of this year.

“When we get completed with this project, Atwater will have the cleanest drinking water probably on the West Coast,” Creighton said. “Every single drop (people) drink will be running through a water treatment facility.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM.