Water Tank Rupture Could Cost $25 Million

Damages and expenses from this week’s rupture of a water storage tank could run $20 million to $25 million, city and Orange County officials said Thursday.

City officials estimated total damage at $20 million. They said there is enough insurance to cover that amount. The city, though, must pay the first $350,000 in losses.

To get money more quickly to families in the hard-hit, 49-unit Hefley Square condominiums, the county asked the state Thursday for $25 million in financial assistance. That money would cover damages to the complex, residents’ personal property and two businesses.

The water tank rupture caused a 5-million-gallon flash flood Monday that slammed into a nearby fire station and the condominium complex, injuring six people and leaving 10 families homeless. The city is paying for temporary housing and other amenities.

“I’m very hopeful the state will be able to step in, especially for emergency relief, because that is the key for those folks right now,” Orange County Supervisor Charles V. Smith said. “We are most immediately concerned with the people who can’t move back into their homes.”

Smith, whose district covers Westminster, said the county’s request for relief funds was made so that financial assistance could be made available immediately to those who need it. The state probably would be reimbursed later for the emergency funds.

“Our goal is to get the machinery in motion,” he said. “Historically, the insurance companies can be slow in these situations.”

The Orange County Emergency Management Office, which requested the state aid for victims, estimated $9.5 million in losses to residents. The cost of removing debris and restoring public utilities was put at $15.7 million.

The county’s report to the state details the damage, including 10 homes that have been tagged for demolition. In addition, the report said, 60 buildings were damaged, seven garages were destroyed and 25 vehicles either damaged or destroyed.

The city’s damage estimate includes up to $4.5 million to repair the aging water tank, which failed when precast concrete wall panels gave way.