City Council Approves Emergency Repair Contract, Budget Amendments Following Water Well Failure

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During a Special Meeting on Monday, December 22, the Cerritos City Council approved multiple budget amendments and awarded a contract for the repair of its C-4 Water Well. The well experienced a critical failure and requires emergency repairs before it is again operable.

“Water service for our residents and businesses will continue during this emergency repair,” said Mayor Frank Aurelio Yokoyama. “Unfortunately, the cost of this repair places further strains on the City’s budget and impacts other support services.”

When active, Cerritos’ three wells normally allow the City to meet 100 percent of local water demand. With the C-4 Well offline, the City must purchase imported water from the Central Basin Municipal Water District (CBMWD), which costs more than three times that of local water production.

The Cerritos City Council on Monday approved the authorization of a contract with General Pump Company for the emergency repair of the C-4 well. The estimated cost of the repair is $643,000 and could last five months. An additional $2.2 million is anticipated in import water costs during this time.

The C-4 Well began experiencing issues in October, when staff observed a significant increase in silt and gravel entering the well and the sand separator. The C-4 Well was taken out of service during this time to identify the condition and evaluate a solution.

To fund the emergency repair, the City Council authorized the deferral of a project to replace the water boiler system at the Cerritos Olympic Swim and Fitness Center. While the water boiler system is currently in operation, there remains a risk of the system failing and the swimming pool water receiving no heat. This may lead to potential cancellation of classes, programs, and recreational use of the swimming pool in the future. Additionally, the City Council authorized $2.09 million in total budget transfers to pay for the anticipated import water costs. This includes the deferral of a water well pumping assessment, annual arterial street rehabilitation, and annual sidewalk, curb, and gutter rehabilitation.

Following the C-4 Well repairs, General Pump Company has advised that the City reduce the well’s operating flow to protect its remaining service life. This reduction in capacity will require the City to continue to import water until the C-4 Well is permanently replaced. While the C-4 Well Replacement Project has been in the works for years, it may not be fully completed until mid-2029. Until the replacement project is completed, it is estimated the City will have spent approximately $4.7 million on imported water.

“The City of Cerritos has water and sewer infrastructure that is aging, deteriorating, and in some cases failing,” said Mayor Yokoyama. “The City Council recognizes that we must make difficult budget decisions when these and similar situations emerge to ensure the long-term sustainability of essential City services.”

The C-4 Well is approximately 52 years old. The City has two other water wells, C-1 and C-2, that will remain operable during the C-4 repair. Both of these wells are about the same age as C-4.

For More Information

View the December 22 agenda report and PowerPoint presentation or contact the Public Works Department by calling City Hall at (562) 916-1220.