To best serve our Murrieta customers, Western had re-established a local well site in 2021 in the city of Murrieta, California at the corner of Vineyard Pkwy and Kentucky Derby Way. In Fall 2021, Western began investigating reports of water discoloration in Western's Murrieta Service area. 

The North Well was taken offline out of an abundance of caution to conduct a detailed water quality study. Early investigation showed that discoloration was created by higher mineral concentrations in the local water supply. The presence of these minerals at the levels measured DOES NOT impact public health, but it is tied to water aesthetics, and in this case, color.

Project Timeline

• JULY 28 – Neighborhood North Well 411 (see mailer that was distributed to surrounding homes)
• EARLY AUGUST – Sound barrier installation
• MID AUGUST – North Well returns to service

Solutions for North Well

While keeping North Well offline, Western has worked on solutions to improve water aesthetics and is ready to put North Well back in service! The following actions have been implemented to ensure Western continues to deliver high-quality, safe, reliable water:

• Comprehensive cleaning of Western's entire distribution system in Murrieta.
• Extensive sampling and analysis in more than 25 locations.
• Hydraulic modeling to analyze blending characteristics, water quality, and to better understand impacts of system changes. 

In response to community concerns, Western installed a sound barrier at the North Well site in early August. The sound barrier stands about 14 feet high, shorter than the current on-site building and only a few feet above the fence line. 

As we work to put North Well back in service, Western is committed to integrating ongoing monitoring and real-time field testing to be as responsive as possible to fluctuations in your water aesthetics.

North Well is Returning to Service – What Does This Mean to You?

• Water from the North Well will serve Murrieta customers exclusively and provide long-term reliability.
• North Well water service will reduce the dependence on imported water. 
• Your drinking water will be consistently monitored from the supply source to your meter. You can count on Western to ensure your water is safe.