November 22, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Environmental Watchdog Brings Constitutional Challenge to Enhance Region’s Water Supply

Los Angeles Waterkeeper (LAW) filed four related lawsuits in an effort to dramatically increase the purification, reclamation, and reuse of wastewater that is currently discharged into the Los Angeles River and Santa Monica Bay.

The lawsuits concern the State Water Resources Control Board’s renewal of permits for four major wastewater treatments plants: Hyperion in El Segundo and Tillman, LA-Glendale, and Burbank in the San Fernando Valley. Collectively, these municipal plants dump an average of nearly 300 million gallons of treated water directly and indirectly into the Los Angeles River and Pacific Ocean—every day.

Waterkeeper contends that the Water Board should have conducted a Waste and Unreasonable Use analysis pursuant to Article X, Section 2 of the California Constitution to assess the potential to maximize water reclamation from our sewage treatment plants. Article X finds, among other things:

“…because of the conditions prevailing in this State the general welfare requires that the water resources of the State be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable, and that the waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable method of use of water be prevented, and that the conservation of such waters is to be exercised with a view to the reasonable and beneficial use thereof in the interest of the people and for the public welfare.”

“California is just now emerging from a historic drought that has had devastating impacts on our environment, our communities, and our economy,” said Bruce Reznik, Executive Director of LAW. “With climate change likely leading to increasing and ever-more severe drought conditions in California, we can no longer justify discharging tens of billions of gallons of water into our coastal waters every year that could instead by purified to enhance the region’s water security.”

In addition to seeking to require the Water Board to determine how we can maximize water reclamation, the suits also seek to compel regulatory agencies to look at our sewage infrastructure as an interconnected system that is part of a watershed, so that increasing reuse of wastewater is done responsibly and in a way that protects needed flows in our inland waterways.

“We appreciate that the City of Los Angeles already reclaims 35-40 million gallons of wastewater per day from its Hyperion plant, with plans to slowly expand reclamation across the sewage system,” noted LAW’s Senior Attorney Arthur Pugsley, “but we think there is much greater potential for purification than is currently being planned for. Moreover, we are looking to push the envelope by setting a precedent that every time a sewage discharge permit gets renewed in California, we need to assess the potential to reclaim that wastewater rather than letting it flow into and contaminate our coastal waters and inland waterways…it is important that we consider wastewater a potential asset rather than a liability.”

The watchdog group has long advocated that decision-makers should look at every opportunity to minimize water waste and to recharge the region’s aquifers using affordable local supplies, including treated stormwater as well as purified wastewater. This suit comes against the backdrop of water agencies throughout the region, however, considering investing billions of dollars into expensive, energy intensive and environmentally harmful water transfers and desalination projects.

“We should not be looking at building a new, expensive and energy-intensive desalination plant just down the road from where over 200 million gallons of reclaimable sewage are being discharged daily, or investing local dollars into the so-called California Water Fix when we have so much untapped potential to invest in local water supplies,” added Reznik. “The lawsuits seek to force the State to think about stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water in an integrated way—by ensuring that all water is used reasonably and not wasted, as required by the Constitution and consistent with the goals established in the City of LA’s Sustainable City pLAn that calls for sourcing 50% of our water locally by 2035.”

Legal experts from Lawyers for Clean Water, Inc. and Chatten-Brown & Carstens, LLP are supporting the lawsuit.

Related Posts

Donate Blood and Save Lives at Culver City Fire Station This Weekend

November 22, 2024

November 22, 2024

Get a T-Shirt, Gift Card for Participating in the Cedars-Sinai Blood Drive The Culver City Rotary Club, in collaboration with...

LAPD Motorcycle Officer Hospitalized After 405 Freeway Crash in Sepulveda Pass

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

Collision Near Skirball Center DrivePossibly Involving a Tesla Caused Major Traffic  The 405 Freeway was the scene of a motorcycle...

Santa Monica Police Release Body Cam Footage of Deadly Force Incident Outside Headquarters

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

Graphic Video Shows a Violent Assault on an SMPD Officer by a Knife-Wielding Suspect The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD)...

Breakaway Café Opens New Venice Location with Beachside Grab-and-Go Window

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

Bayse Brothers Bring Their Signature Breakfast Dishes and Good Vibes to Venice Breakaway Café, a popular breakfast and lunch eatery...

Last Minute Additions to the Best Thanksgiving 2024 Feasts and Pies To Go

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

If Other Faves are Sold Out, Here’s All The Quality Places to Try Now Celebrity chefs Susan Feniger and Mary...

Everytable’s Holiday Meal Collaboration To Support LA’s Unhoused Youth

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

Chef Created Thanksgiving Meal Benefits My Friend’s Place. Everytable, the mission-driven company committed to making scratch-cooked, nutritious meals accessible to...

Los Angeles City Council Codifies Sanctuary Protections for Migrants with New Citywide Ordinance

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

Mayor Bass Prioritized the Ordinance after Trump’s Mass Deportation Threats The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to officially...

The Palms Community Council’s Executive Committee Schedules Special Meeting for Nov. 20

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

Meeting to Address Open Board Positions and Committee Updates The Executive Committee will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, Nov....

Hammer Museum Presents 10th Edition of MoMA Contenders: Screenings, Conversations with Top Filmmakers

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

Lineup Features Films by Steve McQueen, Sean Baker, and Brady Corbett The Hammer Museum will host the 10th edition of...

Film Review: Wicked

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

By Dolores Quintana Director John Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights) has crafted an effervescent take on the blockbuster...

Randy’s Donuts Arrives in Culver City with Free Donuts and a $250 Gift Card Giveaway

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

Grand Opening on November 19 Includes Sweet Giveaways Starting at 6:00 a.m. The time is finally here. Randy’s Donuts is...

Nicole Nagel’s Futuristic Eric Moss Designed Brentwood Home To Hit Auction Block

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

The Spaceship-Like Property Heads to Auction With No Reserve in December German actress Nicole Nagel, who was part of the...

LA Controller Kenneth Meija: City Left $513 Million of Homelessness Budget Unspent

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

Inefficiencies Blamed for Underspending Despite Record Allocation in FY2024  The City of Los Angeles hasn’t spent over half of its...

West LA College Expands Zero-Cost Textbook Programs with $600K Grant

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

College Aims for 50 Zero-Cost Textbook Programs by 2025  West Los Angeles College (West) is expanding its zero-cost textbook program...

(Video) At Vistamar School – Discover the way high school should be

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

Students achieve remarkable outcomes with our strong academics, small classes, andpersonalized approach. Our graduates don’t just attend college—they excel. Vistamar’sunique...