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Litigation Not Answer In Reservoir Cracking

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By BILL WADSWORTH

Special to the Tribune

Published: December 27, 2008

Recently the Tampa Bay Water (TBW) board voted to initiate litigation against HDR and others regarding an issue with the C.W. (Bill) Young Reservoir. Although we certainly understand the concerns about the cracking in the soil cement, we believe proceeding with litigation at this time is not the best course of action, particularly in light of the following:

It's important to reinforce what has been stated repeatedly by Tampa Bay Water - that this is not a safety issue. Designed with safety as the top priority, the reservoir is structurally sound. Cracks in the soil cement are located in the internal portion of the reservoir and do not pose a threat to the public.

Since its opening in 2005, the reservoir has been functioning and plays an important role in providing a reliable water source for the three-county area. During the rainy season, it fills and holds billions of gallons of water, and then is drained as water is needed during the dry months. Although the current testing does not allow the reservoir to be filled to peak capacity, water from the reservoir is still being used to benefit the citizens of this area.

Some cracking in the soil cement lining in the interior of the reservoir was always anticipated, since all cement shrinks and cracks when it dries. Soil cement, a mixture of soil and cement, lines the earthen embankment that forms the reservoir bowl and helps prevent erosion from wave action. The cracks, which are in two specific areas that account for approximately six percent of the structure, are larger and more frequent than anticipated. It should be noted that the cracking has not spread to other areas of the reservoir.

Since the cracks were first noticed, HDR has worked closely with Tampa Bay Water officials and other consultants to determine the cause and a solution. We value our partnership working with TBW and have shared in the costs of these studies. However, more testing is needed even though we are making progress in determining why this has occurred.

We had hoped that our close working relationship with TBW would continue, as we believe the best way to determine a cause and gain consensus on a solution is by working together.

Bringing lawyers and the courts into the process will only create a hostile atmosphere that stifles cooperation and slows results. It is our opinion that the primary beneficiaries of litigation will be law firms, not our two organizations and certainly not the people of the greater Tampa area.
HDR has been a good corporate citizen of this community for many years, and we will continue to provide quality professional services to our clients. We are committed to finding a cause for the situation and the appropriate solution. We had offered an agreement that would have extended the statute of limitations and protected TBW's interests as the investigation continued.

We still hope lengthy legal action can be avoided, so we can work cooperatively and find the best solution for the citizens of the Tampa Bay area.

Bill Wadsworth is executive vice president of HDR Engineering Inc. and has been involved with the reservoir project from the beginning.

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