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15 Years Strong, Kryton International’s Underground Concrete Cistern Serves Los Angeles at Crucial Point in City’s Water Management

News provided by news direct2025-03-20

--News Direct--

LOS ANGELES – When TreePeople built its Center for Community Forestry in 2004, officials knew it had to be sustainable with a long-term solution for the shortage of water in Southern California.

More than 20 years later, the underground cistern built with Kryton’s innovative crystalline waterproofing technology is still going strong at a time when all eyes in the city are focused on water management in the aftermath of the city’s devastating fires last month.

“We are very proud of this project because it demonstrates how our unique technology can be very effective at protecting concrete structures over long periods of time, and it’s a shining example of how to build water management systems without leaking water or wasting money on repairs,” said Kryton Vice President for Product Development, Kevin Yuers.

With a diameter of 70 feet and a depth of 8 feet, the cistern boasts a storage capacity of approximately 216,000 gallons – the largest container of that type in the U.S. at that time. It collects and stores rainwater runoff from the building's roof and surrounding parking areas, which is then utilized for irrigating the center's grounds during dry periods. More broadly, the cistern represents a practical solution for a region that is prepping for a major upgrade.

Located in Coldwater Canyon Park, the center serves as TreePeople’s headquarters and offers nature trails, experiential education, and cultural programming. It also includes a native plant nursery which grows plant life for reforesting after local fires.

The cistern fulfills a key role in water management, providing year-round irrigation, without any waste. This is made possible through Kryton's Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) and the Krystol Waterstop System. When added to the concrete mix, KIM reacts to form crystals that fill the spaces between concrete particles, permanently waterproofing the structure. Later and throughout the project’s life, KIM also reacts with incoming water to self-seal any small new concrete cracks, providing lasting protection against leakage from any direction. By eliminating costly repairs and maintenance, KIM will provide worry-free waterproofing for the life of the cistern.

In 2011, the cistern was recognized by GreenSite as the Industrial Project of the Year, but its relevance has never been more significant than right now. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recentlyapproved the county’s first-ever Water Plan, which calls for 80 percent of the county’s drinking water supply to be locally sourced by 2045.

Los Angeles County currently imports 60 percent of its drinking water. The increase would be roughly equivalent to 162 billion gallons per year, enough water for 5 million residents, and would be achieved using more effective stormwater capture, water recycling and conservation.

Key to the plan is the modernization of the county’s 200+ water systems -- a third of which, the county estimates, are failing. Long-term solutions in this endeavor include the use of Krystol technology, which enables concrete to self-seal cracks and block water indefinitely, while Krytonite Waterstop’s compression sealing power which is four times greater than conventional methods to ensure long-lasting prevention against water intrusion.

As traditional concrete is known to corrode from water and extreme weather, Kryton’s permeability-reducing admixtures (PRAs) have emerged as an integral waterproofing tool in the rebuilding of Los Angeles as well as the nation’s aging infrastructure and real estate in flood regions.

ABOUT KRYTON

Kryton International Inc. is the inventor of the crystalline waterproofing admixture and has been waterproofing concrete structures with its proprietary KrystolÂ® technology since 1973. Kryton has won awards for innovation, manufacturing, best place to work, and entrepreneurship. Kryton is an active member of the American Concrete Institute, International Concrete Repair Institute, American Shotcrete Association, and many other thought-leading organizations. Kryton exports its products to more than 50 countries globally. www.kryton.com