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Fullerton's water CIP shrinks as purchased-water costs climb; staff outlines PFAS, well repairs and $300k predesign for a replacement well
Summary
City staff told NRAC the water CIP for FY 2026'27 falls from about $16.1M to $7.1M due largely to higher purchased-water costs and well outages; staff proposed PFAS management funding of $1.5M (including a ~$500k settlement), a $500k SCADA upgrade, and $300k for predesign of a replacement well estimated to cost $7'10M to construct.
The committee heard a detailed review of the water capital-improvement program and operational pressures that reduced next year's draft CIP from about $16.1 million to roughly $7.1 million.
Toddy, identified in the presentation as the city's principal water and civil engineer, said a combination of increased purchased-water costs and several well outages drove the reduction. He said Well 10 went down in April 2025 and that the city spent about $21 million on purchased water in 2024'25; staff now project roughly $26 million in purchased-water costs for 2025'26. Toddy said that as wells return to service the reliance on imported water should fall toward an estimated $24 million level in later years.
On PFAS, Toddy said the city is budgeting $1,000,000 for PFAS management in FY 2026'27 and has received about $500,000 from a settlement related to nationwide PFAS litigation, yielding roughly $1.5 million available for PFAS work next year. "We recently received about half $1,000,000 from a settlement ... so overall we will have a $1,500,000 budget for PFAS management," he said.
Toddy also proposed a $500,000 allocation to continue SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) upgrades and described a sequence of priority projects: a $4,000,000 water-main replacement program, reservoir rehabilitation work (additional funding needed), and predesign funding of $300,000 for a proposed replacement well (temporarily called Well 16) estimated to cost $7 million to $10 million to construct.
On funding responsibilities for PFAS treatment, operations staff and Toddy said Orange County Water District (OCWD) leads design and construction countywide and that Fullerton shares roughly half the operation and maintenance costs; OCWD is the primary capital funder for treatment plants.
Committee members asked whether reduced CIP funding risked drinking-water safety. Toddy and operations staff repeatedly distinguished system resilience risks (higher failure likelihood from aging mains and equipment) from water-quality failures, and affirmed compliance with state and federal drinking-water regulations. "The concern is not really surrounded around quality, but the resilience of our system as a whole," an operations staff member said.
The committee voted to support staff's recommendation on the water budget and to recommend the City Council move forward with the previously recommended water rate study; the motion passed by roll call with members present voting yes.
Why it matters: Higher imported-water costs and aging infrastructure are squeezing capital budgets, prompting the city to prioritize PFAS treatment, SCADA upgrades and well rehabilitation while pursuing grants and a rate study to address long-term funding needs.
