On December 7, 2020, Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water Company (BSMWC) celebrated the groundbreaking of the Leahy Well project, marking the official start of construction on the new groundwater well.

BSMWC Board of Directors President Rick Cook shared the significance of the Leahy Well with attendees of the ceremonial groundbreaking event, which had limited in-person attendance in accordance with COVID-19 precautions and was also streamed live to the public via the BSMWC Facebook page.

“Bellflower-Somerset has been in business since 1911; this is our 110th year of service providing low-cost, high-quality water. We’re able to do that because we make the true investments that are necessary, including this well site right here,” said President Cook. “This well site is designed to last for over 100 years. People who have not even been born yet are going to be able to live their entire lives drinking and using water from this well site. It’s pretty amazing.”

President Cook next recognized the numerous stakeholders who have helped the Leahy Well project reach this point.

“It requires a lot of people to make something like this happen,” President Cook said, thanking his fellow BSMWC Board members, BSMWC staff, and contractors, as well as leaders and staff from the City of Bellflower.

Following President Cook’s remarks, he was joined by his fellow Board members for a ceremonial turning of the soil. President Cook, Board Member Leo Struiksma, Board Member Eric Ikeda, Board Member Cheryl Harris, and Board Member Robert Wilson each held gold-colored shovels, posed for a commemorative photo, and proceeded to dig in the soil – officially breaking ground on the site.

The Leahy Well, located at 14742 Leahy Avenue, will be a groundwater well pumping 3,500 gallons a minute. BSMWC developed the concept for the Leahy Well project in 2012, as part of efforts to replace aging infrastructure, modernize its water system, and protect the long-term sustainability of its water supply.

In 2017, the actual well tapping into the groundwater was drilled in order to confirm and test the water supply. Testing results showed that the groundwater at the Leahy Well location meets all state and federal standards for drinking water quality.

Following years of research and coordination, BSMWC secured all the necessary permits for the project in 2020 and published a request for bids to select a contractor. In November 2020, BSMWC announced the selection of Pascal & Ludwig Constructors to complete the project, which will include installing the well pump, building the pump-house and underground containment area, and installing piping to connect the well to BSMWC’s water infrastructure system.

Construction of the Leahy Well is anticipated to take around one year from start to finish. During the project, residents can expect to hear typical construction noise such as trucks and tractors operating. (The construction noise is not expected to be as loud as previous noises residents may have heard during the digging of the well.)

For additional information about the Leahy Well project, please contact us at 562.866.9980 or through our Contact Us webpage.

About BSMWC

Founded in 1911, the Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water company services approximately 49,000 persons in the Bellflower area. The company has seven active wells in operation that produce 5,265 gallons of water every minute. Bellflower and Somerset merged in 1988 to form Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water Company. As a mutual water company, BSMWC is owned by the property owners in its service area who are shareholders in the entity. BSMWC is dedicated to delivering high-quality, healthy and cost-effective water for the community.