The County of San Bernardino Special Districts operates and maintains the water distribution system that includes the storage tanks at CSA 70 – W3 Little Morongo. The 10,000-gallon water tank is a vital component to the overall system which supplies water to approximately 611 residents. Water comes from two wells and is temporarily stored in the tank where sand and entrained air are removed and then the water is pumped uphill to two additional tanks located at a higher elevation.
A site visit was conducted on September 1, 2020 to evaluate multiple leakages to the tank reported by staff. Based on visual inspection, several areas of the tank were badly corroded and had holes that were over 1/8” inch diameter. Operation staff installed temporary seals using screws with gaskets or used wedges to stop water leakage. Other areas also showed significant pitting corrosion that could have led to tank failure if not mitigated.
The old tank was in an unrepairable state after being patched previously by a dive team and needed to be replaced. This tank replacement project removed and disposed of the old tank and installed a new 7,500 gallon steel welded water tank and its appurtenant accessories that meet AWWA D100 requirements for potable water storage. The new tank has been installed and is functional in the water distribution system helping to serve customers with their fire flow and potable water needs in the CSA. The project was completed in November 2021 with a total project cost of $87,213.75.
