Water Recycling: Pathway to Sustainable Wastewater Management in Los Angeles

The importance of additional water supply options for the city of Los Angeles has become increasingly apparent with continuation of drought conditions, building contention for limited available water supplies, and growing awareness of the critical nexus between quality of life/economic stability and available supplies of quality water. The city has initiated an ambitious recycled water initiative to achieve 50,000 acre-feet per year (AFY) of recycled water by 2030 and identify concepts to provide up to 200,000 AFY of new supply over the next 20 to 40 years. To capture these opportunities, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Los Angeles Department of Public Works/Bureau of Sanitation have partnered to complete recycled water planning evaluations, which include groundwater replenishment, non-potable reuse, satellite treatment, and concepts for maximizing recycling. This paper describes these evaluations, the initial plan for meeting the 2030 goal, and concepts for maximizing recycling within the city.