Drinking Water Systems - Case Study

For more than a century, Baker City had obtained most of its water for residential use from high-elevation intakes within the Elkhorn Mountains. The water is so pure it does not need filtration and the taste is second to none. A well and reservoir were used to supplement the City's water supply, but the water produced from the well was of poor quality and lacked the capacity to meet high seasonal demands.

To solve these issues, AP teamed with Groundwater Solutions, Inc., to design an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) system. High-quality water from the Elkhorn Mountains is injected into the underground aquifer during the winter and pumped out during the summer when demands are higher. The resulting project increased the well's capacity to 160 million gallons, a four-month supply of pure mountain water. The ASR well eliminated the need for construction of more wells or reservoirs for the community, and the residents now enjoy pure, pristine mountain stream water year-round. The previously diminishing groundwater aquifer is also being replenished as a result of this project.

The ASR team was recognized for this innovative project with the 2007 American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon Grand Award.