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Historical Water Usage Flow Path

Advanced Water Purification Facility

Water returned to the sewers is conveyed to a water reclamation plant where the wastewater is treated to LASAN’s high standards.  Now, as part of Pure Water Los Angeles, a portion of wastewater will be sent to an advanced water purification facility.

Consumption

Water Reclamation Plant

Groundwater Basin

Effluent

Indirect Potable Reuse Flow Path

Historically, safe, treated wastewater and stormwater have primarily been discharged to ocean outfalls, local lakes, or the Los Angeles River. 

Effluent Flow

The new advanced water purification facility at Donald C. Tillman WRP will treat wastewater to a quality above regulatory standards by utilizing microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and UV advanced oxidation. A public learning center at the facility will explain recycled water and its benefits.

Treated water from aqueducts, and now remediated groundwater from the San Fernando Groundwater basin, is conveyed to consumers and returned to the sanitary sewers.

The San Fernando Groundwater Basin acts as both water storage and as an environmental buffer for the water from the spreading grounds. 

Groundwater Basin

Groundwater Remediation

Aqueducts convey water from the Sacramento River (California Aqueduct), Colorado River (Colorado River Aqueduct), and Owens River (Los Angeles Aqueduct), across the state to the City of Los Angeles. 

Facilities treat water supplied by the aqueducts to LADWP’s high drinking water standards and then pump the treated water through the distribution network to residential and commercial consumers.

Aqueducts

Stormwater

Water Treatment Plant

Water from the advanced water purification facility is pumped to spreading grounds. There the water fills a series of reservoirs before sinking into the soil and being absorbed into groundwater basin.

Spreading Grounds

Water Treatment Plant

Groundwater is pumped from the basin and treated at a groundwater remediation facility. This facility utilizes UV advanced oxidation, and granular activated carbon filtration to ensure water meets LADWP’s standards.

Spreading Grounds

Groundwater Remediation

How Indirect Potable Reuse is Changing LA Water