Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer

April 5 -- If Santa Monica suffered a major earthquake tomorrow, its drinking water supply could be shaken to the core.

To prevent a water shortage, City officials are looking to secure an additional 20 million gallons of drinking water sitting untapped under Memorial Park at 14th Street and Olympic Boulevard.

If approved by the City Council next Tuesday, the nearly $1 million project would supply the beachside city with about two days of emergency water, officials say.

The expected council action comes as the City is in the midst of restoring its Charnock water wells in nearby Mar Vista, which were discovered tainted by a gasoline additive in 1996.

Santa Monica, which lost 80 percent of its groundwater supply, has been purchasing its water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD).

"If a future earthquake or other unforeseen circumstance interrupts MWD service to Santa Monica before the Charnock wells are restored to service, severe shortages of water for domestic use and fire protection would result," states the City staff report.

"In the event of a major earthquake, the City's water storage capability is of critical importance for essential domestic uses and fire protection," the report said.

The proposed well would be made earthquake proof through "seismic hardening," according to City officials.

If approved, the project would be paid for with an Environmental Protection Agency grant of $529,900 and $460,700 in City funds.

In December of last year, the City approved a landmark $131 million settlement with oil companies that would relieve the petroleum companies of responsibility for cleaning up Santa Monica's polluted water supply.

Santa Monica in turn would use the money to build a new water treatment plant, which is not projected to come on line until 2010.