Water Reuse Summary for Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Water Reclamation Activities The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (Districts) operate 11 wastewater treatment facilities (Figure 1), 10 of which are classified as water reclamation plants (WRPs). These facilities serve approximately five million people in 78 cities and unincorporated county areas within Los Angeles County. Effluent quality from the WRPs ranges from undisinfected secondary to coagulated, filtered, disinfected tertiary. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2004-05, Districts' facilities produced an average of 517.24 million gallons per day (MGD), or 579,595 acre-feet per year (AFY) of effluent, which is an increase of 1.2% over the preceding fiscal year, and a 3.5% decrease from the previous historic peak of FY 89-90. As a result of widespread water conservation that began in January 1991 in response to the drought-induced, statewide water crisis, as well as an economic recession, total average effluent flow had decreased by 11% to 477.36 MGD in FY 91-92 from the historic peak of FY 89-90. The eventual increase in effluent flows is due in part to population growth, a healthier economy, and the easing of conservation measures in response to the improved statewide water supply situation following the heavy rains of the winters of 1993, 1995 and 1997, and the extremely heavy, El Niño generated rainfall of 1998. The total flow production for FY 04-05 was actually only 0.1% less than the flows in FY 96-97, the year before the El Niño event. Figure 1
Location of Districts' Wastewater Treatment Facilities Of the total effluent produced, 192.85 MGD (216,097 AFY) was reclaimed water suitable for reuse. The amount reclaimed is 37.2% of the total amount of effluent produced, an increase of 2.2% over the preceding fiscal year. Water reclamation capacity at the 10 Districts' facilities is now 256.3 MGD (287,197 AFY). The remaining 324.39 MGD (363,498 AFY) was effluent discharged to the ocean from the Districts' Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) in the City of Carson. The Districts' have made continual efforts over the past four decades to divert new, high quality wastewater flows in the Joint Outfall System (JOS) away from ocean disposal to the upstream WRPs, which provide additional reclaimed water supplies for eventual reuse. Figure 2 illustrates that while flows in the JOS have been increasing, effluent flow to the ocean has held steady (or declined during the drought) and reclaimed flows have been increasing. Figure 2
Joint Outfall System Flow Diversion to Reclamation
1928-2004  Of the total amount of reclaimed water produced 61.06 MGD (68,419 AFY) was actively reused for a variety of applications including landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, industrial process water, recreational impoundments, wildlife habitat maintenance and groundwater replenishment. The amount of reclaimed water produced and reused at each of the WRPs and the percent change from the preceding fiscal year is summarized in Table 1. The amount reused is 31.7% of the reclaimed water produced and is 6.2% less than the amount used during the preceding fiscal year. Since the amount of reclaimed water used for replenishment of the underground water supply can vary greatly from year to year, depending on the amount and timing of rainfall runoff and by maintenance activities in the spreading grounds, the long-term trend of reclaimed water is best represented by the increase in direct, nonpotable reuse for landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, industrial process supply and environmental enhancement.
The growth of annual average daily demand for direct, nonpotable reuse through mid 2005 is shown in Figure 3. The data shown in this figure are for calendar years, with 2005 data being the average usage in the first six months (which does not include the peak usage months of July-September). The effects of the heavy, El Niño driven rainfall during February-April 1998 that precluded both irrigation and groundwater recharge are responsible for the decrease in reclaimed water usage during 1998.Irrigation usage returned to more normal levels in the following year.During FY 04-05, 11 new landscape reuse sites were added.Despite the fact that the storm season of 2004-05 just missed the historic record for rainfall in the Los Angeles Basin, the use of reclaimed water for direct, nonpotable applications actually increased by 2.5% over the preceding fiscal year. However, this near record storm season produced extraordinary amounts of runoff that severely curtailed recharge of reclaimed water during this fiscal year.Therefore, overall reclaimed water usage decreased by 24.3% from the preceding fiscal year.
Table 1
Reclaimed Water Produced and Reused at Water Reclamation Plants
Fiscal Year 2004 - 05
Water Reclamation
Plant | Quantity Reclaimed
(AFY) | Percent Change
from FY 03-04
(+/-) | Quantity Reused
(AFY) | Percent Change
from FY 03-04
(+/-) | Percent of Reclaimed Water Used | La Cañada | 136 | +29.5 | 136 | +29.5 | 100 | Long Beach | 20,747 | -9.8 | 4,742 | -20.4 | 22.9 | Los Coyotes | 36,852 | +4.2 | 5,044 | -14.2 | 13.7 | Pomona | 11,747 | +13.2 | 8,911 | +4.1 | 75.9 | San Jose Creek | 90,886 | -2.7 | 24,512 | -22.5 | 27.0 | Whittier | 8,555 | +4.1 | 6,771 | +12.1 | 79.1 | Valencia | 17,941 | +10.0 | 397 | +81.3 | 2.2 | Saugus | 4,585 | +9.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Lancaster | 13,746 | +21.1 | 13,746 | +21.1 | 100 | Palmdale | 11,038 | +21.9 | 4,160 | +28.6 | 37.7 | TOTAL | 216,233 | +2.3 | 68,419 | -6.2 | 31.6 |
Figure 3
Increase in Direct Nonpotable Reuse
1970 - mid 2005
(MGD) 
Water Recycling Projects |
In 1970, prior to the droughts of 1976-77 and 1987-92, there were six reuse customers using 21 MGD on 940 acres. By the end of the subject fiscal year, there were a total of 500 reuse sites on approximately 11,878 acres, utilizing approximately 974,960 linear feet (nearly 185 miles) of transmission pipelines in 27 cities. Another 18 miles of pipeline have been constructed in Lancaster for agricultural usage, but are not in service yet.This usage includes one city employing a water truck to haul reclaimed water to various greenbelt areas and occasional private water trucks hauling reclaimed water to construction sites. Table 2 summarizes the approximate length of distribution system pipelines (if applicable), the amount of reclaimed water used by each of the water recycling projects (detailed in later sections) and the percent change from the preceding fiscal year. Figure 4 shows the increase in the number of reuse sites receiving reclaimed water from the Districts from 1970 to mid 2005.
Table 2
Reclaimed Water Used by Water Recycling Project
Fiscal Year 2004 – 05Project Name | Pipeline Length
(linear feet) | Reclaimed Water Used
(AFY) | Percent Change
from FY 03-04
(+/-) |
No. of New Reuse Sites
| La Cañada-Flintridge Country | | 136 | +29.5 | | Long Beach Water Department | 171,900 | 4,590 | -21.1 | 1 | Alamitos Seawater Barrier | | 152 | +12.6 | | City of Bellflower | 1,900 | 45 | -15.1 | | City of Cerritos | 142,600 | 1,715 | -10.4 | | City of Lakewood | 28,300 | 356 | -15.6 | | Central Basin MWD (Century) | 169,000 | 2,928 | -16.0 | 3 | Pomona Water Department | 37,000 | 5,057 | +7.6 | | Spadra Landfill | | 470 | -18.8 | | Walnut Valley Water District | 166,320 | 964 | +13.9 | 5 | Rowland Water District | 29,280 | 60 | -28.3 | | Water Replenishment District | | 30,329 | -15.3 | | City of Industry | 44,350 | 906 | -17.9 | | California Country Club | | 356 | -21.2 | | Central Basin MWD (Rio Hondo) | 95,000 | 206 | -28.2 | | Puente Hills/Rose Hills | 8,900 | 1,763 | -22.1 | 1 | USGVMWD Rio Hondo Extension | 11,020 | 45 | +14.3 | 1 | F.L. Norman's Nursery | | 38 | -44.9 | | Castaic Lake Water Agency | 16,490 | 397 | +81.3 | | Piute Pond | | 9,497 | +44.8 | | Nebeker Ranch | 15,900 | 4,035 | -12.7 | | Apollo Lakes County Regional | 23,800 | 214 | +24.4 | | Los Angeles World Airports Lease | 13,200 | 4,160 | +28.6 | | TOTALS | 974,960 | 68,419 | -24.3 | 11 |
Figure 4
Increase in Number of Reuse Sites
1970-2005 
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During FY 04-05, 24.96 MGD (27,969 AFY) was used for groundwater replenishment from the San Jose Creek and Whittier Narrows WRPs. Through the end of FY 04-05, approximately 1,298,605 AF of reclaimed water from these two plants has recharged the Central Basin. Another 2.11 MGD (2,360 AFY) of effluent river discharge from the Pomona WRP was credited toward indirect groundwater recharge, after estimating how much of this discharge was lost to the ocean during the winter storm season. In the past, this quantity was not included in the total amount of reclaimed water used, since it was indirect. However, since this quantity is credited against the allowable amount to be recharged, it has been included in the total amount of water actively reused, beginning in FY 94-95. |
Cities with Reclaimed Water Sites | | Bellflower | Lynwood |
| Bell Gardens | Norwalk |
| Cerritos | Palmdale |
| Compton | Paramount |
| Cudahy | Pomona |
| Diamond Bar | Rowland Heights |
| Downey | Santa Clarita |
| El Monte | Santa Fe Springs |
| Huntington Park | Signal Hill |
| Industry | South Gate |
| La Canada | Walnut |
| Lakewood | West Covina |
| Lancaster | Whittier |
| Long Beach |
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The total of 27.07 MGD (30,329 AFY) that went to groundwater replenishment was a 15.3% decrease from the preceding fiscal year. Of the total amount of water reused during FY 04-05, 44.3% went for groundwater replenishment, which is only the second time in history (and second year in a row) that this reuse application has dropped below half of total reuse. More reclaimed water is used for groundwater recharge than for all other applications combined because of its cost-effectiveness. This was the result of two factors. First, there was an increased usage for direct, nonpotable applications. But more importantly, reuse for groundwater replenishment was severely curtailed as a result of near-record rainfall that produced extraordinary amounts of runoff. The remainder of the reclaimed water usage was divided between four broad categories of direct usage. A total of 471 of the individual reuse sites used reclaimed water for some form of landscape irrigation, and approximately 11.650 MGD (13,055 AFY), or 19.1% of the total water reused, went toward this application. These sites include 93 parks, 93 schools, 115 commercial and office buildings, 79 roadway greenbelts, 24 public facilities (e.g., police station, post office, libraries, landfills), 20 golf courses, 17 nurseries, 16 residential developments, eight churches and six cemeteries. Agricultural usage was approximately 8.183 MGD (9,170 AFY), or 13.4% of the total reused. Industrial applications of reclaimed water (which include carpet dyeing, paper manufacturing, oil field injection, cooling systems and construction applications such as dust control and concrete mixing) totaled 5.680 MGD (6,365 AFY), or 9.3% of the total reused. And finally, 8.475 MGD (9,497 AFY), or 13.9% of the total reused, went to environmental enhancement of a wildlife habitat in the Mojave Desert. Figure 5 shows the distribution of reuse flows among these various applications. Table 3 lists the number of sites in each category of use, along with total acreage and average daily usage.
Figure 5
Distribution of Reclaimed Water Usage
Fiscal Year 2004-05 
Table 3
Categories of Reclaimed Water Usage
Fiscal Year 2004-05 Reuse Application | No. of Sites | Area Applied
(acres) | Usage
(MGD) | Parks | 93 | 2,361.7 | 2.946 | Golf Courses | 20 | 2,263.8 | 3.715 | Schools | 93 | 1,104.7 | 1.499 | Roadway Greenbelts | 79 | 574.7 | 0.824 | Public Facilities1 | 24 | 478.7 | 0.849 | Commercial Buildings | 115 | 333.8 | 0.682 | Nurseries | 17 | 129.8 | 0.260 | Cemeteries | 6 | 299.9 | 0.606 | Residential | 16 | 114.2 | 0.242 | Churches | 8 | 9.5 | 0.029 | Industrial2 | 17 | 205.7 | 5.680 | Agriculture3 | 9 | 2,955 | 8.183 | Environmental | 1 | 400 | 8.475 | SUBTOTAL | 498 | 11,231.5 | 33.990 | Groundwater Recharge | 2 | 646 | 27.07 | TOTAL | 500 | 11,877.5 | 61.06 |
NOTES: 1. "Public Facilities" includes police stations, libraries, post offices, city halls, government offices, landfills, etc. 2. Industrial processes receiving reclaimed water include paper manufacturing, carpet dyeing, concrete mixing, cooling, oil field injection and construction applications such as soil compaction and dust control. 3. The California Polytechnic University, Pomona, while technically a school, uses most of its reclaimed water for agricultural purposes and is thus included in this category.
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Economic and Environmental Impacts |
At the end of FY 04-05, the Districts had 21 contracts (one currently inactive and four pending initial deliveries) for the sale and/or delivery of reclaimed water produced at its facilities. Actual O&M and energy costs incurred by the Districts while operating the pump stations on behalf of the purchasers of reclaimed water are also fully recovered through these contracts. Since the reclaimed water delivered to the various distribution systems was not dosed with either sulfur dioxide or sodium bisulfate for dechlorination or with defoamant, an estimated $189,130 in chemical savings was realized at the five Los Angeles Basin WRPs.
Table 4 compares selected potable water rates and reclaimed water rates (in effect as of the end of FY 04-05), illustrating the savings realized by the end users. Table 5 lists all of the current reclaimed water purveyors. Table 4 Potable vs. Reclaimed Water Rates Fiscal Year 2004-05
Purveyor | Potable Water(AF) | Reclaimed Water($/AF) | Discount
(%) | Long Beach Water Department | 705.24 | 352.40 – 493.53 | 30 - 50 | City of Cerritos | 492.22 | 261.36 | 47 | City of Lakewood | 670.82 | 413.82 | 38 | Central Basin MWD | 488.00 | 237.00 – 299.00 | 39 - 51 | Pomona Water Department | 516.52 | 226.09 | 56 | Walnut Valley Water District | 731.81 | 618.55 | 15 | Rowland Water District | 635.98 – 845.06 | 540.18 | 15 - 36 | San Gabriel Water Company | 641.68 | 405.98 – 549.03 | 14 - 37 | Valencia Water Company | 409.03 | 343.69 | 16 |
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Table5 Reclaimed Water Purveyors City of Long Beach
1800 East Wardlow Road
Long Beach, CA 90807-4994
(562) 570-2300 | City of Paramount
16400 Colorado Avenue
Paramount, CA 90723
(562) 220-2020 | Central Basin Municipal Water District
17140 South Avalon Blvd., Suite 210
Carson, CA 90746-1218
(310) 217-2411 | City of Cerritos
Bloomfield at 183rd Street
Cerritos, CA 90701
(562) 860-0311 | City of Santa Fe Springs
11710 Telegraph Road
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 868-0511 | Park Water Company
9750 Washburn Road
Downey, CA 90241
(562) 923-0711 | City of Lakewood
5050 North Clark Avenue
Lakewood, CA 90714
(562) 866-9771 | City of Downey
9252 Stewart & Gray Road
Downey, CA 90242
(562) 904-7202 | Peerless Water Company
P.O. Box 117
Bellflower, CA 90706
(562) 531-1500 | City of Bellflower
16600 Civic Center Drive
Bellflower, CA 90706
(562) 804-1424 | City of Whittier
13250 East Penn Street
Whittier, CA 90602
(562) 945-8215 | Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water Co.
10016 Flower Street
Bellflower, CA 90706
(562) 866-9980 | City of Industry
P.O. Box 3366
Industry, CA 91744
(626) 333-2211 | City of South Gate
4244 Santa Ana Street
South Gate, CA 90280
(323) 563-5795 | Southern California Water Company
P.O. Box 9016
San Dimas, CA 91773-9016
(909) 394-3654 | City of Pomona
505 South Garey Avenue
Pomona, CA 91766
(909) 620-2236 | City of Lynwood
11330 Bullis Road
Lynwood, CA 90262
(562) 603-0220 | San Gabriel Valley Water Company
11142 Garvey Avenue
El Monte, CA 91733
(626) 448-6183 | Walnut Valley Water District
271 South Brea Canyon Road
Walnut, CA 91789
(909) 595-7554 | City of Norwalk
12700 Norwalk Boulevard
Norwalk, CA 90650
(562) 929-2677 | City of Huntington Park
6900 Bissell Street
Huntington Park, CA 90255
(323) 584-6323 | City of Cudahy
5220 Santa Ana Street
Cudahy, CA 90201
(323) 773-51437 | Castaic Lake Water Agency
27234 Bouquet Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 573-1252 | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD
11310 East Valley Boulevard
El Monte, CA 91781(626) 423-2297 |
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