Los Alamitos Water Quality Report

WHERE DOES LOS ALAMITOS CITY WATER COME FROM?

Golden State Water has proudly served Los Alamitos and surrounding communities since 1929. We currently serve approximately 27,200 customers in Cypress, Los Alamitos, Stanton and portions of Buena Park, Garden Grove, La Palma, Rossmoor, and Seal Beach.

Water delivered to customers in the West Orange County System is a blend of groundwater pumped from the Orange County Groundwater Basin and imported water from the Colorado River Aqueduct and State Water Project (imported and distributed by Metropolitan Water District of Southern California)

ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN LOS ALAMITOS CITY WATER?

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the layers of the ground it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animal and human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production or mining activities.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining and farming.

Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gasoline stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural application, and septic systems

SHOULD I DRINK AND BATHE WITH LOS ALAMITOS CITY WATER STRAIGHT FROM MY FAUCET?

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised people, such as those with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have had organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly persons and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

The USEPA and the federal Centers for Disease Control guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from USEPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern Time (7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in California)- source: 2017 Los Alamitos Water consumer confidence report.

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Click here to find out the water quality of other cities in Southern California

HISTORY OF THE CITY OF LOS ALAMITOS

The first school was built in 1881 at what is now Katella Avenue and Los Alamitos Boulevard.  Although most of the workers in the fields were Mexican, many immigrants from Belgium, France, and Germany came here to work and establish their farms and businesses. When nematodes (burrowing insects that fed on the roots of the plants) destroyed the sugar beet industry, the sugar refinery was closed down and eventually leased, in 1921, to a Dr. Ross, who used it to process wild horse meat into dog food. The 1929 depression, followed by damage caused by the 1933 earthquake, ruined this enterprise. Dr. Ross died a pauper, and eventually, the mill was torn down.

While the sugar mill was prospering, Los Alamitos had become a throw-back to the typical wild west town. Reagan Street was the principal thoroughfare until Los Alamitos Boulevard was blacktopped in 1921-22. There were two hotels in town, and reportedly an average of two shootings or stabbings occurred every weekend. Katella was a country road that led to the entrance of a farm on the edge of Coyote Creek. It was named after the two daughters of the farmer, “Kate” and “Ella,” who, well into their eighties, were proudly present when “their” road was named and dedicated.

Following Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), the U. S. Navy moved its training field for aircraft from Terminal Island to Los Alamitos, where a 1,300-acre tract was commissioned. Here, Navy and Marine fliers were trained, as well as fliers from Australia, New Zealand, England, Free France, Poland, and Norway. Its presence revitalized the sleepy country town of Los Alamitos, bringing new settlers and businesses to the area. When the war ended, the airbase was used as a reserve training field for military fliers, being operated under control of the Navy. It was reactivated during the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts, after which the Navy turned it over to the California National Guard.  The Joint Forces Training Base now serves as a reserve training center for all branches of the military, as well as for its personnel.

Cityhood

On March 1, 1960, the township of Los Alamitos became a chartered city.  The city of Little Cottonwoods was affectionately described as A Jewel of a City.  The City’s seal, designed by longtime resident William A. Daniels, captures the ancestry of the region.  The official flower, the Daisy, reflects the importance of our City’s youth since it was nominated by a young boy because it was his mother’s favorite flower.  Still embracing its small-town ambiance, the City offers excellent recreational and park facilities, a stellar police department, and an enthusiastic Chamber of Commerce.  With its outstanding schools, friendly neighborhoods and strategic location at the crossroads of two major freeways, Los Alamitos keeps its roots in history and it’s future vested in those who cherish this special community.