Microbes reportedly corroding submerged Bay Bridge welds Caltrans is said to be investigating if bridge's life span will be affected

The old Bay Bridge foundations that will be imploded in Oakland, Calif. on August 18th, 2017. The old Bay Bridge foundations that will be imploded in Oakland, Calif. on August 18th, 2017. Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close Microbes reportedly corroding submerged Bay Bridge welds 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

Caltrans is reportedly looking into the impact of potentially damaging microorganisms on welds on the underwater foundation of the new span of the Bay Bridge.

A report by NBC Bay Area found that corrosion on the piles supporting the foundation — which are made from steel 3 and 3/4 inches thick — show evidence of accelerated corrosion due to these microorganisms, meaning that the projected 150-year life span may not be accurate.

A company called Deepwater Corrosion Services Inc., based in Texas, sent divers to observe the bridge's submerged support and upon removing barnacles, discovered that some of the piles exhibited pits likely due to bacteria.

RELATED: Ominous signs of problems with new Bay Bridge foundation

According to NBC, Deepwater strongly suggested that further investigating be conducted on other Bay Area bridges in San Mateo and Richmond-San Rafael to see if there's a similar issue.

"That's really something new, and when it's something new to us, we want to make sure we get on top of it as fast as we can," Caltrans Chief Engineer Brian Maroney told NBC Bay Area. "It's important not to drop the ball here. As years go on, we have to make sure we get out and inspect it."

Engineers for the project say that there's no immediate cause for concern but that the steel supporting the foundation of the bridge may be compromised around 50 years earlier than expected.

It's been widely reported that the new Bay Bridge has had a host of issues. In late 2015, tests found that the bay's salt water was seeping into the bridge's foundation, and later, an engineer found that rods used in the eastern span of the bridge might be prone to cracking.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

