A newly constructed municipal water well in the Pacific Northwest became the subject of a construction dispute when concerns arose over its ability to meet contractual performance requirements. With potential repair or replacement costs exceeding $1 million, the general contractor’s legal counsel engaged YA Group to investigate the alleged deficiencies and provide technical guidance during mediation.
Challenge Overview
The municipality alleged that the well’s filtration system was noncompliant and unable to deliver the gallons per minute (GPM) specified in the project’s contract and request proposals. These concerns raised questions about the system’s performance, water quality, and ability to satisfy regulatory certification requirements.
Determining the cause of the reported deficiencies required an evaluation of the well’s construction, mechanical components, and operating conditions. The investigation also needed to distinguish potential installation defects from design-related issues and determine whether the completed system could meet its intended performance criteria.
YA Group’s Area of Impact
YA Group’s construction defect and engineering experts conducted a site investigation, reviewed construction drawings, and analyzed project documentation to assess the well’s performance.
The investigation identified an undersized chlorination tank resulting from errors in the engineer of record’s design, rather than deficiencies attributable to the general contractor. YA Group also determined that communication gaps had contributed to misconceptions about the system’s ability to satisfy water quality certification requirements.
To verify the well’s performance, YA Group developed a forensic testing approach that evaluated the filtration system at varying water flow rates and satisfied regulatory requirements. Testing demonstrated that the well and its filtration system operated safely and in accordance with project specifications.
The findings helped resolve the dispute, and the litigation was dropped without requiring the proposed repair or replacement of the well.