TAMPA - An engineering report released today states the cracked interior walls of Tampa Bay Water's reservoir in eastern Hillsborough County are safe and will not collapse.
According to the report, issued by independent engineer David Carrier of Lakeland, Tampa Bay Water staff first noticed cracks back in December. By January, three significant cracks ran 300 to 400 feet in length.
The most significant cracking occurred in the northeast and southwest portions of the dam, according to the report.
Carrier, of Argila Enterprises, also reported that he wasn't sure why the walls were cracking, but he was fairly positive it was not sinkhole related.
Tampa Bay Water estimates it will cost $200,000 for repairs, a price Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham admitted taxpayers don't want to hear.
"If it's $200,000 a year for fixing cracks, that's awfully expensive," said Higginbotham, who sits on Tampa Bay Water's board of directors.
Higginbotham added that resolving the problems could take years.
The reservoir is 1-year-old. It holds up to 15 billion gallons of water.
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