Water District to Build Massive Water Tank

The construction of a 5-million-gallon water tank at the Las Virgenes Reservoir in Westlake Village could take eight months to two years and cost as much as $7.5 million, a representative from the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District said.

The project is part of an effort to update the district's aging system and to keep up with growing water demand in the region, according to district spokesman Jeff Reinhardt. 

Other facilities, such as the Westlake Filtration Plant and Westlake Pump Station, will be expanded and modernized also, he said.

"It's just recognizing the realities of what the system will be expected to do over the next 30, 40, 50 years,” said Reinhardt. “We anticipate that there will be modest but continuing growth in the service area that we cover. [The tank] would give us dependability and reliability of supply."

In addition to helping address growing demand, the tank will allow the district to provide enough water during disasters such as fires or earthquakes.

According to the district's website, the tank will be built at one of two sites at the reservoir. The first site, located on the eastern side of the reservoir, will require a road to be built and comes with a $7.5 million price tag. The other is on the western side, requires no road and will cost about $6.6 million.

Reinhardt said the district's board of directors may decide on one of the sites at its next meeting on Aug. 23. He added that the board would have to weigh several options before selecting where to break ground.

"It isn't just an economic decision. There's the community's input to be considered, along with understanding what the implications are on both sites," Reinhardt said.

Deciding factors will include sight lines, the steps that must be taken to reinforce the tank, access to the site for construction vehicles, and the cost of the project.

The two sites at the Las Virgenes reservoir were among six different ones that the district considered during a 2009 study, which included two in Agoura Hills and two in Three Springs Park. These other sites were either too costly to build on or were too difficult to access for construction crews. 

According to documents on the district's website, the project could begin in late 2012 or early 2013, but until the board completes its review and design process, no exact date can be given.

Funding for the project comes from the district's "capital projects fund," supplied by fees already factored into customers' water bills, so no there will be no new rate adjustments as a result of the construction, said Reinhardt.

To build the tank, construction teams will use blast charges to remove portions of the hillsides surrounding the reservoir, a potential source of disturbance for residents of nearby communities.

Reinhardt said the district has tried to be open with residents about the effects of the construction on their communities. District officials held a workshop for residents on July 30 at the reservoir to hear concerns from the public.

"It was important for the community to be aware of what was proposed, and if there were any impacts on the community, the board should be aware," he said.

According to Reinhardt, the workshop was also held to disclose to the public what’s to be expected during construction at the proposed locations with regard to construction traffic, noise and construction methods.

The website also states that noise from the blast charges will be "barely perceptible," and there will be "one blast per day, each lasting less than one second." A five-minute warning siren will precede each of the blasts.

No date has been set for when the blasts at the reservoir will begin.

Reinhardt said the construction would be confined to the reservoir and would not spill over into the surrounding neighborhoods, like those along Three Springs Drive and Triunfo Canyon Road. But he said, as in any construction project, there would be increased traffic in the neighborhoods and noise from the project.

"It's anticipated that whenever you do a building project of any magnitude, there's going to be issues, such as trucks and so on, and construction materials that will be taken to the site,” he said. “All of those things will be sources of noise and traffic.”