Councilmembers urge expansion of City's recycled water system

Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Janice Hahn jointly introduced a Council motion to call for better use of recycled water for irrigation and industrial purposes, not for drinking, through the City’s “purple pipe” system. Citing the growing water shortage and pending drought, the members seek to have a comprehensive, multi-department approach to installing a dual pipe system where feasible in new city project and private developments.

“There’s great potential in expanding our existing system that meets our dual goals of conservation by not having to tap additional fresh water sources and recycling our treated waste water for non-drinking purposes,” said Councilmember LaBonge.

“We are facing a serious water shortage in Southern California. It is our duty to make responsible changes and upgrades to ensure we are doing all we can to conserve and use water smartly,” said Councilmember Hahn.

LADWP officials state that while over 30% of our water is used for landscaping purposes, much of it is wasted due to over irrigation, excessive run off and poor landscape design. With so much waste of potable water, agencies have begun to invest in new technologies to increase the use of recycled water such as in Orange County with its recently completed Groundwater Replenishment System.

Los Angeles currently displaces about 1% of its potable water demand using recycled water to support landscaping at such places as the Griffith Park golf courses, Lake Balboa and the Japanese Garden. Through the City’s Integrated Resources Plan (IRP), LADWP and the Bureau of Sanitation developed a Recycled Water Master Plan and identified approximately 2,374 potential recycled water customers. The motion seeks to have the Sanitation Dept. along with the Department of Building and Safety, the Planning Dept. and LADWP outline a list of new requirements for a dual “purple pipe” system for all future developments and significant remodels of multifamily properties.

Currently, Los Angeles dumps about 230 million gallons of treated waster water into the ocean daily. In the motion, the councilmembers further urge the city to take the lead in this effort with the operations of its municipal buildings where recycled water could be used for non-potable uses such as toilet flushing.