Dive Brief:
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Los Angeles broke ground last week on the first of nine stormwater capture projects at parks in the east San Fernando Valley that it expects will collectively capture nearly 950 million gallons of water a year to help replenish the San Fernando Groundwater Basin.
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The Stormwater Capture Parks Program will also improve water quality in the Los Angeles River, reduce local flooding and provide recreational benefits to the community through related park improvements, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which developed the project in partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and Department of Public Works.
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In her Climate Action Plan released last month, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass calls for the city to source 70% of its water locally. The plan would develop 100 stormwater capture projects to provide water for approximately 1.8 million Angelenos — giving preference to disadvantaged communities — by 2035.
Dive Insight:
“The impact of the climate crisis is local. But thankfully, so too are the solutions,” Bass said during the May 20 groundbreaking ceremony for the stormwater capture project at the David M. Gonzales Recreation Center. “These investments in stormwater capture don’t only improve our local water supply, they help reduce runoff into the ocean, lessen our dependence on imported water and enhance Los Angeles’ overall resilience.”
The stormwater capture project “is the kind of infrastructure development that delivers on multiple fronts,” Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners President Allan Marks said during the ceremony. “As we face increasing pressure on our water supplies and the growing impacts of climate change, local water projects like this are essential.”
For the David M. Gonzales Recreation Center project, a 2.6-acre subsurface infiltration gallery will divert stormwater from two nearby storm pipes, capturing and filtering approximately 448 acre-feet of runoff per year. Two hydrodynamic separators upstream of the infiltration gallery will separate debris, sediment, grease and fine particulates from the stormwater. On the surface, the site will have native vegetation, grass and trees; educational signage “will engage the community and promote sustainability awareness,” according to LADWP.
Funding for the project comes from LADWP and Measure W, a countywide tax on properties that cause runoff pollution, which voters approved in 2018. The tax generates approximately $285 million annually for the Safe, Clean Water Program, which invites communities to help design and implement local infrastructure improvements, prioritizing nature-based approaches such as green spaces and recreation areas that also combat heat and improve neighborhoods.
“This transformative investment will create a resilient source of clean water for our neighborhoods while expanding green space and enhancing the well-being of our communities,” Los Angeles City Council member Monica Rodriguez said in a statement.
