Infrastructure

Water Supply

Groundwater is the principal source of water supply for Fort Ord and its neighboring communities.  The city of Marina and Fort Ord currently obtain water from wells located near the east boundary of Marina and in the East Garrison, respectively.  Historically, seawater intrusion has affected wells in the city of Marina and at Fort Ord for several decades.  In response to seawater intrusion, Fort Ord relocated water- supply wells in the Main Garrison area to sites in the north eastern part of Fort Ord.  The city of Marina, on the other hand, was constrained to the east by the Marina/Fort Ord boundary.  Consequently, Marina drilled deeper wells (greater than 1,200 feet) to penetrate aquifers below the zones of seawater intrusion.

Storm Drain System

Construction of the storm drain system at Fort Ord began in the early 1940s.  As the base grew, the storm drain system was expanded, but the major lines in the Main Garrison still run from east to west.  A complex network of branches feeds into the major lines; these branches collect surface water runoff from housing and recreational areas, motor pools, maintenance yards, and industrial facilities.  The primary lines in the Main Garrison discharge surface water runoff at three beach or dune outfalls and at four ocean outfalls directly above the Monterey Bay surf zone.  Numerous minor surface water outfalls are present in depressions or open fields in the Main Garrison.

In the East Garrison, the three main storm drain lines run from west to east.  These lines and their numerous extensions discharge surface water runoff offbase to a field south of the Salinas River.

At the former Fritzsche Army Airfield, some surface water outfalls discharge into open fields and depressions east and west of the main airfield; however, the main line discharges surface water runoff to an open field south of the Salinas River.

Sanitary Sewer System

Installation of the sanitary sewer system at Fort Ord also began in the early 1940s.  Although the system underwent expansion and some reconstruction when new housing areas were built after World War II, the original pipelines are still used.  The system was designed to collect, treat, and discharge all domestic and industrial wastewater generated at Fort Ord.

The sewer system collected domestic flows and industrial wastewater without any pretreatment until the mid-1960s, when several oil/water separators were installed in the maintenance shops and motor pools to treat wastewater from vehicle wash racks.  Before the mid-1960s, some of the wash racks drained directly to the sanitary sewer system and some drained directly to the storm drains.  After the mid-1960s, all of the wash racks drained into oil/water separators and then to the sanitary sewer system.  All sewage currently flows to the main sewage trunk line, which transports sewage to the Monterey Regional Treatment Plant north of Marina.