BOSTON -- More controversy is surfacing this week over the number of leaks at the Big Dig. Apparently the leaks in the Interstate 93 tunnel are even more extensive than state authorities acknowledged.

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NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that a new Boston Globe report says there are still leaks and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority is using a Band-Aid approach to patching them. The report also said there is a design flaw with the original waterproofing system.

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Chairman Matt Amorello went on the offensive Wednesday saying his organization is fed up with leaks to newspapers about leaks in the tunnel.

"These are not babbling brooks of flowing water. These are small amounts of water intrusion and moisture intrusion. We are concerned about taking care of those in areas where it could affect our steel," said Keith Sibley, of the project's private manager, Bechtel/Parsons Brinkerhoff.

Sibley, the Bechtel/Parsons Brinkerhoff point man, defended his company's work, saying roof leaks are being addressed as construction wraps up.

"The volume that the pump stations are seeing include many of these flows of water that will be gone once our construction process is complete," said Sibley.

In September, a major leak in the I-93 north section of the Liberty Tunnel forced turnpike authority officials to acknowledge publicly that there was a problem. Now documents indicate that those officials and private contractors knew as far back as 2001 about thousands of ceiling and wall fissures, water damage to steel supports and fireproofing systems, and overloaded drainage systems -- problems that persist even though the authority signed off on more than $10 million in cost overruns for repairs.

The Globe report also detailed a 2001 confidential report by the auditing firm Deloitte and Touche alerting turnpike officials that "the original design provided insufficient protection against leaking."

The project's private manager, Bechtel/Parsons Brinkerhoff, was reportedly alerted to the waterproofing problem back in 1988 and engineers determined that the membrane applied to the roof and walls was not stopping the leaking. Contractors switched to a spray-on application and even today concrete grouting is used to plug the leaks.

Last week, reports surfaced that the $14.6 billion tunnel system -- officially called the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project -- was riddled with more than 400 leaks. The Globe report indicated there are nearly 700 leaks in just one, 1,000-foot section of the tunnel beneath South Station.

Amorello insisted that repairs are under way, and the tunnel is safe and contactors will have to pay the bill.

"Over the last week, I have become increasingly concerned about the perception that we have not been forthcoming about the September slurry wall breach and the construction that is ongoing to waterproof the tunnel. Let me remind you, however, that the reports from consultants that I have hired have formed the basis of many of these news accounts over the last week. To imply that someone other than the turnpike authority has been discovering these issues is simply incorrect," said Amorello.

The expert who examined the leak considers it an isolated incident.

"To date, I have not seen anything that would cause concern for the tunnel security itself. I believe the tunnel is safe," said slurry wall expert George Tamaro.

As work to improve drainage on the surface continued, Attorney General Tom Reilly questioned everyone involved with the project.

"This is not something that can be minimized. They may have anticipated water on the roof of the tunnel -- I doubt very much if they anticipated the level of water and the amount of water that is leaking into that tunnel. I'd find that hard to accept," said Reilly.

Reilly would not speculate on the scope or costs of the repairs.

Turnpike officials say they are now looking at about 500 leaks, down from 1,000, as reported a few months ago.

The Big Dig promised weekly briefings on Thursdays starting after Thanksgiving.

Should Amorello Stay On?