PWP Wants to Replace Pair of 100-Year-Old Reservoirs Taken Offline Last Year

The Pasadena Water and Power Department has plans to replace two aging water reservoirs along Sunset Avenue, near West Mountain Street, that accounted for  25 percent of the city’s water supply until last June, when they were taken out of service. 

PWP Assistant General Manager Mitchell S. Dion is expected to give a presentation on the department’s nearly $44 million proposal to the City Council’s Municipal Services Committee at 4 p.m. Tuesday. 

The public may access the meeting through http://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=9 and www.pasadenamedia.org. The meeting is also available on Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/161482446 or by calling (669) 900-6833. The meeting ID is 161 482 446.  

PWP has said the two reservoirs were designed to hold 15.5 million gallons of water. One of them was put into service in 1880 while the other is more than 120 years old. In recent years, the reservoirs could not be filled to capacity due to “structure deficiencies,” PWP said.  

The plan, now called the Sunset Complex Project, calls for demolition of the current wells and construction of three new concrete reservoirs on the site that would hold approximately 11 million gallons of water. Along with that, the plan also calls for installation of a booster station and new piping. A treatment facility to remove contaminants is also being added to address current and future water quality issues.

Additionally, emergency generators have been included in the plan to ensure reliable operation. Employee parking, landscape and aesthetic improvements for the perimeter are also included. 

PWP said the proposed Sunset Complex Project is designed to meet the city’s future needs for high quality water in sufficient capacity to serve Pasadena during periods in which imported water may be interrupted. 

A preliminary report showed bidding procedures for the project could begin around September this year, with construction to begin in spring 2022. The project will take two years to complete at an approximate cost of $43.8 million, according to the report.

Plans to post historical plaques related to the history of the old reservoirs and the surrounding neighborhood are included in the project, according to the preliminary report.

Comments by the public may be sent by email to vflores@cityofpasadena.net or through www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/public-comment.