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Storms Says Reservoir Repair Plan Doesn't Hold Water

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By STEVE ANDREWS

News Channel 8

Published: August 14, 2008

TAMPA - Drain and repair it.

That's an option no agency involved is discussing in public. But state Sen. Ronda Storms of Valrico is breaking the silence about the ongoing cracking problems at Tampa Bay Water's C.W. Bill Young Reservoir.

"They want to completely empty the reservoir. Take it off-line, possibly for two years, and repair the sides by taking off the skin, which is taking off the cement layer," Storms said.

The soil cement lining the interior walls of the reservoir helps control erosion of the dam's walls. One year ago this month, a Target 8 investigation revealed some severe cracks in the soil cement measured more than 300 feet long.

In the past year, Tampa Bay Water crews spent more than $700,000 trying to repair the cracks.

Crews fill the cracks with a cement mixture. Many of the patches are not holding, and the cracking continues. Tampa Bay Water has budgeted another half-million dollars to continue the repair work.

"It'll be over $1 million without even fixing it," Storms said.

Last week, Storms discussed the reservoir with Dave Moore, executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The agency, known as Swiftmud, helped pay for the reservoir.

Storms said Moore told her only two options are on the table.

"One is to keep doing what they're doing, which is placing more concrete into the cracks, which is a failed procedure," she said. The other, she said, is to drain it, remove the problem soil cement and replace it with a shield of rocks and boulders called riprap.

"I'm sure it will be millions," Storms said.

Tampa Bay Water is continuing its investigation of the soil cement issue and assures the public there is no danger of the reservoir's walls collapsing.

Michelle Rapp, an agency spokeswoman, responded to questions via e-mail.

"The representation the Senator has made draws a conclusion that no one else has drawn and is absolutely incorrect at this point. We are not pursuing the fix you tell me the Senator described," Rapp said.

Tampa Bay Water last week decided to fill the reservoir to only half its capacity. A lower level will help protect the areas of concern from potential wave erosion and allow the agency to observe the cracks while it continues its investigation.

"They don't know what the remedy is going to be, yet," Moore said. "They want to fully assess it and come up with an appropriate solution."

Moore said in a worst-case scenario, the reservoir would be emptied and inspected and the soil cement removed, and it could be off-line for up to two years.

Storms said Moore and Tampa Bay Water general manager Gerald Seeber provided her with two options: continuing the failed repair work or draining the reservoir and taking it off-line.

She said she had to pry that information from Seeber. Neither Seeber nor Tampa Bay Water have responded to questions about Seeber's discussion with Storms.

What's upsetting Storms even more is that instead of holding engineers, contractors or consultants accountable, she said Seeber is ready to pass the expense of repairing the reservoir on to ratepayers.

"We have a right to expect competency," Storms said. "And that they're going to build something and it's going to do what they said it was going to do. And if it doesn't, you hold the people accountable."

Seeber has said that Tampa Bay Water will try to recover the costs of fixing the cracks from one or more companies involved in building and inspecting the reservoir.

During an appearance last week at the Hillsborough County Commission's weekly meeting, Seeber told commissioners about the plan to limit the amount of water stored this year in the reservoir so engineers can better investigate the cracks.

He said that the level will be kept at about half the 15 billion-gallon capacity. Next spring, during the dry season, 7 million to 8 million gallons will be drawn down, exposing cracks at the base of the walls that are now accessible only to divers.

The reservoir has about 6 billion gallons in it.

The move to limit water storage this year - and essentially empty the reservoir next year - prompted commissioners to grill Seeber on how well the area could weather a drought and whether the cracks posed more danger than water officials had previously indicated.

"If I lived around there, I would have the life scared out of me," Commissioner Jim Norman said.

Seeber told commissioners emptying the reservoir is a gamble that could backfire if another drought hits the area like the one that ended this summer.

The reservoir was constructed to store water when rainfall is heavy. Tampa Bay Water diverts water from rivers to the reservoir when flows are high, a tactic intended to limit withdrawals from groundwater.

Information from The Tampa Tribune was used in this report. Reporter Steve Andrews can be reached at (813) 221-5779 or sandrews@wfla.com.

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