L.A. Officials Want State Support For Recycled Water Ambitions

Los Angeles has big aspirations for recycled water and it is trying to get state regulators to lend financial support for its big ideas rather than simply supporting small-scale projects.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the city's Controller Ron Galperin sent a letter to state water regulators last week asking for funding opportunities to help it become a more efficient water manager. The officials asked the state to limit the use of funding caps in state grant and loan programs.

The letter was addressed to officials at the State Water Resources Control Board and the state Water Resources Department. In a nutshell, the letter “argues that $15 million grants won’t be enough to propel large infrastructure projects like the $435 million purification facility that the city is planning at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys,” Curbed Los Angeles reported.

“Once complete, the project is expected to capture enough water to supply 90,000 homes each year. Garcetti and Galperin argue that the relatively small grants from the state don’t provide enough incentive for cities to develop large facilities like this one,” the report said.

Policy shifts could help the city "reduce its impact on the state's precious water resources," the letter said. They added that the city’s vision for water management will “impact water management statewide.”

The aim is for Los Angeles to obtain at least 50 percent of its water supply from local sources by 2035.

The city plans to accomplish this, in part, by removing contamination in the San Fernando Groundwater Basins, capturing stormwater to support groundwater aquifers, and increasing reliance on recycled water.

“There is potential to transform the Hyperion Treatment Plant, the largest wastewater treatment plant on the West Coast, into one of the largest water recycling plants in the nation,” the letter said.

Los Angeles officials are seeking modifications in state guidelines to enable them to collect more funding from the state. They want to tweak the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1), which authorizes $7.545 billion for water projects.

“While we understand that many of the Proposition 1 Guidelines have already by developed, we recognize that additional state funds for water projects may become available. Thus, we request that you limit the use of funding caps in future funding guidelines where applicants can demonstrate a statewide benefit in their local project,” the letter said.

Los Angeles relies heavily on water from outside the city. The letter of city officials followed an audit of the city’s recycled water systems.

The audit suggested that Los Angeles “must expand its recycling programs to reduce the amount of water imported from outside of Southern California. Currently, only 15 percent of the city’s water comes from local sources, with an astonishing 75 percent purchased from the Metropolitan Water District. Making matters worse, the private wholesaler has upped prices nearly 25 percent since 2011,” Curbed reported.

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