New water treatment plant is unveiled in Fontana; Water Company gets rid of dangerous chemical perchlorate without raising fees for customers

Thanks to a resin-based filtration system, the Fontana Water Company is providing clean water, free of the dangerous chemical perchlorate, to thousands of local homes.

This service is made possible with the help of a new water treatment plant that was unveiled on Aug. 16 by federal, state, and municipal authorities during a brief opening ceremony at the site in Fontana.

"It only takes minutes for the water to go from 5 parts per billion (ppb) of perchlorate to zero ppb.  This plant will clean about four million gallons of drinking water every day for the benefit of at least 48,000 homes in the area," said Robert Young, general manager of the Fontana Water Company.  

The best part is that customers will not see any additional fee increase in their bills, added Josh Swift, assistant general manager.

That is possible because the treatment plant that houses the well, called F23, was built with the majority with funds from the Department of Defense through the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program.

"This new perchlorate treatment facility in Fontana is a great example of how local needs and federal resources can be matched to solve problems," said Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino). "All branches of industry need water to grow.  This plant will help us grow as a region.  It will also help people stay free of dangerous chemicals."

Over the past several years, contamination with perchlorate (which is used in the manufacture of explosives and fertilizers) closed 13 wells in Fontana, causing a loss of 32 million gallons of water a day. Read more...