Work Begins on New Pumping, Filtration Plant

Black & Veatch and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) have announced commencement of construction of the Stone Canyon Pumping and Filtration Plant, located in the community of Bel Air, CA. Black & Veatch was responsible for the design of the facility, one of several new structures in the Stone Canyon Reservoir Complex.

"This project demonstrates innovation in its use of membrane technology and commitment to integrating the facility into the community and natural environment," said Ron Henderson, a Black & Veatch vice president and project manager. "LADWP and Black & Veatch fully considered and addressed the environmental sensitivities of the residents who overlook the project site, incorporating many good-neighbor features in the design to ensure public acceptance of the new facilities. Scale and impact were foremost in our minds at every stage of the design."

The project is a major component of the larger Stone Canyon Water Quality Improvement Project undertaken by LADWP in the Stone Canyon Reservoir Complex. The complex consists of the Upper and Lower Stone Canyon Reservoirs located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the community of Bel Air. Both reservoirs store treated drinking water and are open to the air, allowing surface water runoff to enter the reservoirs and providing a pathway for potential contamination.

To effectively remove potential contaminants from the Lower Stone Canyon Reservoir water and ensure compliance with safe drinking water standards, the Black & Veatch design incorporates microfiltration. Treating the surface water through membrane filtration along with chemical disinfection before it enters the distribution system will enable LADWP to meet all federal and state surface water treatment requirements. The new plant will be fully automated for remote operation.

Black & Veatch participated in LADWP's public outreach program and incorporated special features to alleviate community concerns in its design of the new facilities. The company worked with an architectural firm and an arborist to create a structure with maximum aesthetic appeal and minimal environmental impact.

The plant will be recessed in a valley, below the left abutment of Lower Stone Canyon Dam, nestled over the existing reservoir outlet. All visible elements were architecturally enhanced to give the appearance of sculpture versus structure, and the building footprint was designed to curve around existing trees. In addition, the plant was acoustically designed to operate at a maximum ambient noise level of 30 decibels.