County wants to take airport wells back from MWSD

Although the Montara Water and Sanitary District has been given immediate possession of its three wells near the airport by a Santa Clara County superior court, San Mateo County has been trying to get it back, reports the County Times. The wells produce about 60% of the district’s water. Why a Santa Clara County court?  MWSD requested a change of venue.

In 2003, the water district discovered that the permit under which it had leased the land since 1943 could be canceled on six months’ notice. That caused the California Department of Health Services to deny the district a $5 million loan to finance several badly needed upgrades. Eventually, the water agency concluded the only solution was to own the wells.
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If they had their way, the water district would use very little of the well water drawn from the aquifer under the airport. It’s contaminated with nitrates and tricresyl phosphates. The latter come from a gasoline additive old airplanes once used.

"The airport water requires more treatment, and it’s farther from storage. It has a higher per-unit cost to run the electrical pumps. It’s not as good a water as the Alta Vista water," said Irving, referring to the well the district commissioned in October.

The county is trying to make a federal case of it, arguing that the FAA has jurisdiction over the land.