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Chino approves $220,000 contract amendment for legal work on contaminated Well 11; GE plume cited
Summary
The council approved Amendment No. 5 to the Kaplan Kirsch legal services agreement to continue negotiations and permitting work related to TCE contamination impacting Well 11 and to pursue potential cost recovery from General Electric.
The City Council on June 17 authorized an amendment to the professional services agreement with Kaplan Kirsch LLP for continued legal support related to Well 11, a city groundwater well that has been inactive since 2018 because trichloroethylene (TCE) and related contaminants exceeded drinking water standards.
Public Works staff explained the well was taken offline due to elevated 1,2,3‑TCP and TCE. The city completed two projects — the East Side Water treatment facility expansion and a raw water transmission line — to support water production capability, but the presence of a contaminant plume possibly linked to a General Electric site in Ontario required further legal and technical work. Staff said Kaplan Kirsch was retained in 2022 to coordinate with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water (DDW) and GE, and to pursue remedies and potential cost recovery for ongoing maintenance and treatment.
The amendment extends Kaplan Kirsch services for two years and increases the not‑to‑exceed total to $310,000. Council discussion focused on the plume’s historical migration, the need for long‑term treatment, and whether GE’s cleanup obligations will fully restore the well. Staff said GE has had an implementation plan and treatment activities for decades, but groundwater plumes can persist and require ongoing treatment; partnership with GE and state regulators is part of the city’s approach. Council asked about service impacts from the well being offline; staff said some local low‑pressure issues had been mitigated but the well’s absence affected distribution reliability.
The council approved the amendment unanimously.
