Officials work to identify wells in area By MATT KAPKO Half Moon Bay Review September 15, 2004 What place does a drinking water well have in an urbanized area like Half Moon Bay? City and water officials continue to ponder that question, but the answer lies hidden in a complicated recipe for development that pits water availability versus water rights mixed with a dash of Coastside history. In 1986 the city lifted its moratorium on domestic wells to respond to the lack of water connections available at Coastside County Water District at the time. The move was meant as a temporary fix. When water became available from the Crystal Springs Water Supply Project, properties that received water from underground wells were supposed to purchase a water connection from CCWD. Beginning in 1986, the city placed deed restrictions on each property with a permitted well. Those deed restrictions were only to be lifted once the property owners purchased water connections with CCWD. But many property owners failed to answer the call when CCWD informed them that water connections were available. Dozens of deed restrictions remain now, as do the wells that were never supposed to be used beyond the date water became available at CCWD. The water district sent out multiple reminders, questionnaires and applications to property owners who were using wells to inform them that water would be made available from the Crystal Springs Water Supply Project. A letter was sent from CCWD to 94 properties on wells that informed property owners of the opportunity to purchase water. The last day to send a $200 deposit and application for a water connection with CCWD passed on Dec. 31, 1986, but most connections weren't installed until 1994. In the meantime, the city continued to issue well permits from 1987 to 1994 when the water became available at CCWD. Deed restrictions placed on properties with wells during those years left property owners with no opportunity to purchase water directly from CCWD, hence a deed restriction with no end in sight. Their only option now is to purchase water connections from individuals and developers that own numerous unused connections, or convince the county to release some of CCWD's 433 "priority" connections for non-priority, residential uses. The issue has come to a head as some homeowners south of Miramar have discovered dangerous levels of nitrates leaching into their drinking water wells. "Every well on the coast will go bad," Mayor Mike Ferreira said. "I don't think we should have wells in an urbanized area." Wells are a "looming, insipient health and safety problem on the coast," he said during the Sept. 7 City Council meeting. "A lot of time people just assume water is water. I would like to see us do something definitive. I think this is an important issue," Councilman Jim Grady added. City staff is currently working with county health officials to determine how many wells are in the area and how badly some of them are contaminated. Home