Water & Sewer Improvement

Overview
Monterey Park's water and sewer system is over 100 years old and needs renovations exceeding $100 million. The number of water leaks and sewer breaks is increasing, costing the City hundreds of thousand dollars per year for emergency repairs.

Annually, Monterey Park delivers about 2.8 billion gallons of water to 12,300 customers comprised of 60,435 residents, 1,600 businesses, churches, schools and city parks. The city provides water from 12 wells, 11 reservoirs, 11 booster stations and 136.6 miles of water pipes. Over 98 miles (72%) of which were built before 1960, requiring placement to maintain operational efficiency. The City experienced approximately of 25 water pipe breaks per year since 2002, and 34 breaks in 2011. The rising number of annual breaks is a clear indication of an aging system, as repair costs continue to escalate.

Pipe repairs cost the city from $10,000 to $270,000 per break; four times more expensive than normal pipe replacements. Pipeline breaks cause street closures and serious damage to the surrounding area. Temporarily shutting off the water disrupt residents' daily lives and restaurants must close for several days until emergency repairs are completed.

The water system must maintain proper water pressure for fire protection throughout the city. Aging and undersized pipes, with loose connections or minor leaks in the pipeline, reduces water pressure to the fire hydrants and the overall fire protection ability of the system.

Water quality is also a concern. Monterey Park pumps water from the Main San Gabriel Basin, which contains contamination from irresponsible ground disposal dating back to World War II. To assure the water meets or exceeds the current water standards, the city operates treatment facilities in and around the Delta Plant. The treatment equipment must  be maintained to utilize our ground water resource

A 2012 Water Master Plan recommended a $100 million capital improvement program (CIP) that will improve water delivery, water quality and fire protection. The engineering report recommend replacing 18 miles of pipe for fire flow improvements, replacing Pinetree Reservoir and two wells, upgrade of all water meters and Delta Booster Station improvements.

The city's 100 year old sewer collection system consists of 126 miles of sewer pipelines and 2,498 manholes. In 2013, the City conducted video inspection to 35% of the sewer lines. The video shows the sewer pipes in very poor condition and estimated $12.8 million to repair. The remaining 65% of the sewer pipelines are in need of inspection, and will likely show more costly repairs needed.

Combined, the city needs $112.8 million of water and sewer system repairs. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 626-307-1320.