SPECIAL FEATURES OF MEMBER AGENCY

Santa Monica joined Metropolitan as one of its original cities.

The city has one of the most completely equipped laboratories for a water utility of its size. Extremely hard local groundwater is softened by a cationic exchange process which uses the high salt content of ocean water as the regenerative brine (the operation is much like an individual's home water softener).

In August 1992, the city began operation of its TCE Removal Facility. This facility allows the City to use additional groundwater, which in turn increases local supply reliability.

In August of 1995, the city discovered methyl tertiary-butyl (MTBE) ether in three of the city's production wells. Since then, the city has shut down seven of the 10 production wells. The loss of the wells represents 70% of the city's groundwater supply.

The City of Santa Monica continues to progress in the rehabilitation of the MTBE contaminated groundwater.