Source: ACWA
LOS ANGELES, SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 -- An expansion of a major aquifer recharge facility in the Los Angeles area broke ground Aug. 22, adding momentum to California’s move toward sustainable water supplies.
Construction began on the Tujunga Spreading Grounds Enhancement Project, designed to double the retention and recharge facility's stormwater capacity from 8,000 to 16,000 acre-feet per year. The spreading grounds are located in the northeast San Fernando Valley, with permeable soil linked to the San Fernando Groundwater Basin. The aquifer provides a local source of water for Los Angeles.
"In the past, most stormwater was allowed to run off to the Pacific Ocean.Those days are over," said Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADPW) General Manager David Wright. "With the Tujunga Spreading Grounds Enhancement Project, we ensure that these valuable water resources don't go to waste. By doubling this site's capacity, L.A.'s greatest local water asset, the San Fernando Groundwater Basin, remains replenished with Los Angeles water for Angelenos to drink."
The project is a city-county collaboration between LAPDW and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, and is part of LADWP’s Stormwater Capture Master Plan, intended to increase the city’s local water supply and reduce its dependence on imported water. It will also help the City of Los Angeles meet its "Sustainable City" goal of increasing stormwater capture to 150,000 acre-feet per year by 2035.
About ACWA
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) is the largest statewide coalition of public water agencies in the country. Its 430 public agency members collectively are responsible for 90% of the water delivered to cities, farms and businesses in California.
