Reservoir Closure Lowers Pressure

The imminent months-long closure of the San Joaquin Reservoir because of rising levels of an agent suspected of causing cancer is contributing to water-pressure problems for about 2,000 residents of Newport Beach.

Newport Beach Utilities Director Robert J. Dixon said Saturday that customers experiencing reduced water pressure are clustered near John Wayne Airport.

Dixon said that the pressure problems would be temporary and are being caused by the cutoff of water from the reservoir, combined with a water main break on Jamboree Road that has yet to be repaired.

Dixon said that, as of today, all Newport Beach residents and businesses will be cut off from San Joaquin Reservoir water and tied into other supplies delivered by the Metropolitan Water District.

The reservoir, which holds about 3,000 acre-feet, or 1 billion gallons, of water when full, will be drained over the coming week and is expected to remain dry for “three to four months,” according to Dixon.

The water-pressure problems should be gone by Aug. 31, Dixon said.

The MWD, which controls and operates San Joaquin Reservoir, is draining the facility because of elevated levels of trihalomethanes.

The agents form in all drinking water that is treated with chlorine. But the level of trihalomethanes has posed a particular problem at San Joaquin Reservoir, where the uncovered water must be treated more extensively.