Los Angeles’ ambitious 2035 wastewater recycling goal brings the City closer to UCLA’s goal of 100% local water by 2050
February 22, 2019Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced this week that 100 percent of the City’s wastewater will be recycled by 2035. The move is a significant step towards reducing the City’s reliance on imported water and represents progress towards the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge’s (SLA GC) goal of transitioning the City to 100 percent local water by 2050.
At present, wastewater recycling accounts for only 2 percent of the City’s water. In order to maximize Los Angeles’ recycling capacity, the City plans to upgrade its largest water treatment facility, Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant. Hyperion processes 81 percent of the City’s wastewater and currently only recycles 27 percent of the water that it receives. Increasing the City’s wastewater recycling capabilities to 100 percent by 2035 will increase that number to 35 percent.
In a press release from Mayor Garcetti’s office, associate vice chancellor for environment and sustainability at UCLA and the leader of the SLA GC said that, “The transformation of the City’s four treatment plants to full water recycling can supply Los Angeles with approximately a third of our annual water supply: the most critical step in making this megacity a sustainable L.A.”
Read the full press release for more information.
Additional coverage:
New water-recycling plan brings L.A. closer to UCLA’s green goals for the city UCLA Newsroom, 01 March 2019
L.A.’s ambitious goal: Recycle all of the city’s sewage into drinkable water Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2019