PICO RIVERA >> Walmart announced Monday that it is temporarily closing its Pico Rivera supercenter on Washington Boulevard due to plumbing problems but City Manager Rene Bobadilla said a union official told him that all 530 employees have been laid off.

The union official could not be reached for comment late Monday.

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Walmart spokeswoman Delia Garcia said the 223,000-square-foot store is one of five Walmart locations that will be temporarily closed for similar plumbing problems. The others are in Florida, Texas and Oklahoma.

• Photos: Walmart temporarily closes Pico Rivera Supercenter

James Enriquez, the city’s public works director, said officials have not been notified of plumbing issues at the store. The company would be required to pull permits before undertaking extensive work.

• Video: Employees, customers react to closing of Pico Rivera store, layoff of 530 employees

“If I were a property owner I’d want to make sure my store was closed as little as possible,” Enriquez said. “I would want a permit to be in place the day I was going to close — but we haven’t received anything.”

Spokeswoman Garcia said the closure would begin at 7 p.m. Monday ﻿and could last six months or longer depending on the scope of needed work.

Bobadilla said the repercussions extend beyond people losing jobs.

“They are one of the top 10 sales tax producers for the city,” he said

• Video: Denise Barlage is one of 530 Walmart employees laid off in Pico Rivera

Bobadilla said he didn’t learn of the store’s closure until 1:10 p.m. and later spoke to Eddie Iny, a representative with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

“He said they were notified that there was an involuntary layoff of all employees at the store, effective immediately,” Bobadilla said. “That’s very concerning for us because a lot of those employees are city residents.”

Garcia said all of the employees who wish to return to the Pico Rivera store will have to reapply for their positions.

Walmart issued a statement on Monday regarding the store’s closure.

“We will immediately begin the process to address these issues and intend to open the store as soon as all of the plumbing issues are resolved,” the company said in a statement. “Deciding to close a store is not a decision we make lightly. But after careful consideration we felt it was necessary to make these repairs so we can better serve our customers and the community in the long run.”

The store’s 530 workers will continue to be paid for the next 60 days, she said, and Walmart will place as many of them as possible at nearby stores. Those who can’t get jobs at other Walmart locations will be eligible for severance pay.

“Our hope is that they will find transfer opportunities,” Garcia said. “Walmart has 50,000 openings at any given time, but I couldn’t speculate as to how many of these employees will be placed. There are a lot of variables there. But we’re meeting with everyone to make sure they understand what the opportunities are, and we’ll assist in that process to help with resume writing and interview skills to make sure it’s a smooth transition.”

Walmart said the store’s pharmacy will remain open for 14 days and that customers will be able to access it through a fire door.

Perishable foods at the Pico Rivera Walmart will be donated to area food banks, the company said. Other merchandise will be shifted to other Walmart locations.

The other closest Walmart supercenters for shoppers are in Rosemead, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. operates more than 11,453 stores in 27 countries around the world and the company employs 2.2 million workers worldwide.