HUNTINGTON BEACH : Reservoir Roof Still Leaking After Repairs

After months of renovation on the city’s aged Peck Water Reservoir, tests show that the roof still leaks.

The city awarded a $2.8-million contract to Pro Contracting Corp. of Corona to make improvements to the reservoir, built in 1965.

Repairs began in early 1994 and were to have been completed by April this year, said Jeffrey Renna, city water operations manager.

The work was completed in June, Renna said, but the 16-million-gallon reservoir cannot be used because of the leaks, which could contaminate drinking water.

The city has only one other reservoir in service, he said, and that might not be sufficient in case of a natural disaster or if water demand skyrockets.

“We’ve been lucky. Up until now, it hasn’t been too hot, and water demands have been down,” Renna said. “We’re basically holding our breath.”

The city already has spent $450,000 more than it budgeted for the project, with most of that extra money going for roof repairs that still have not stopped the leaks, Renna said.

Under a worse-case scenario, he said, another $1 million would be needed to repair the reservoir, which is encased in a warehouse-like building on Springdale Street near Bolsa Avenue.

Wayne Walsh, project manager for Pro Contracting, said his company has tried to repair the 800-by-600-foot roof, but “we cannot stop the leaking.”

Walsh said his company is not at fault. “We built the project per plans and specifications,” he said.

City officials said this week that they will seek legal advice to help them determine how to proceed.

The City Council voted Monday to retain Gibbs, Giden, Locher & Acret, a Los Angeles law firm that has handled similar cases, and to spend as much as $100,000 for legal services if necessary.