Percolation Basins
District Facilities Use Natural Processes
Our facilities use a natural process called percolation to replenish the local water supply. Percolation happens when water flows through several layers of sand, gravel, and silt and is naturally cleaned in the process.
- Percolation basins capture water from channelized creeks and storm drains.
- Water trickles from percolation basins through multiple layers of sand, gravel, and silt underground until it reaches the groundwater level.
- Water is stored underground in the Chino Groundwater Basin until it is pumped back to the surface for use.
The Montclair Percolation Basins
To see a percolation basin in action, visit the overlook of our Montclair #4 percolation basin at the Waterwise Community Center. The more water we store locally, the less we have to import.
The Montclair Basins are the “workhorse basins” of our area. Together, they can capture 523 acre-feet of water, or over 170 million gallons of water at a time! Once full, the water will sink into our aquifer at 12 to 18 inches per day.
The Chino Basin Water Conservation District
The Chino Basin Water Conservation District owns and manages 1,433 acres of land for water capture and infiltration. Our Facilities and Operations Department maintains fencing, landscapes, weed abatement, slope repair, trash cleanup, and pest control to keep our recharge basins in top working condition.
