An engineering firm’s audit of the West End Pump Station determined that debris caused the water pump failures that took place during the winter storms earlier this year. During the staff presentation about the water pump audit, Seal Beach Public Works Director Steve Myrter held up a piece of yellow plastic about the size of a pen as an example of the trash that caused one of the pump failures during the winter storms. A plastic bag reportedly caused another failure. District One Councilwoman Ellery Deaton pointed out that rumors had attributed the pump failures to a lack of maintenance. “We know now it was not,” Deaton said.
Deaton said some people had criticized the council over the cost of the audit, but she said she thought it was well worth the money. The audit by AKM Consulting Engineers cost $35,000, according to Myrter’s written report. The overall cost of repairing the pumps (including the audit) was almost $199,700.
The AKM Consulting Engineers audit’s recommendations for preventing future pump failures included cleaning trash from the storm drain system and exercising the water pumps on a monthly basis.
