BY CHARLES COOPER

The city of Glendale’s water and power department is developing a plan for a water well to be built on the Rockhaven property, purchased by the city as a library site and recreation resource.

Senior engineer Raja Takhidian said the plans are nearly ready to present to the council and the public. The utility hopes to have the well in place by the end of 2010.

A test site has been successfully drilled at 2740 Hermosa Ave. The cost of the well is $1.4 million.

The DWP official said when the well is up and running, along with a well site on Foothill Boulevard, the city expects to be able to draw its full allotment of water from the Verdugo basin.

Glendale shares pumping rights in the basin with the Crescenta Valley Water District. Under a court decision, the city can extract 3,856 acre feet a year from the basin.

Currently, the production from five operating wells is about 70% of that, or 2,500 acre feet. Locally produced water is less expensive for the city than imports from outside, as Glendale faces mandatory rationing.

The Foothill well is located between Lauderdale and Boston avenues and was originally built in 1924. The city will spend $1.36 million to bring the well back on line, with water to be pumped to the New York reservoir.

The Rockhaven property sits on 3 1/2 acres of landscaped gardens with 14 buildings of varying historical architectural styles.

Most recently, the city has been busy clearing overgrown brush and addressing some hazards that evolved from the lack of maintenance over the last several years.

Photo by Shana LiVigni

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