CONFRONTING ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE: Mayor Bass, EPA Administrator Regan and Councilmember McOsker Pledge Continued Action During Watts Community Meeting

NOTE: This news release was initially published by the Office of Mayor Karen Bass.

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LOS ANGELES (OCTOBER 6, 2024) – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass yesterday hosted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan in Watts as the Mayor continues to lock arms with local, state and federal officials to create a greener Los Angeles and fight against environmental injustices. The Mayor and the EPA Administrator were joined by Councilmember Tim McOsker of the 15th District, leadership from the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) including Tim Watkins and Thelmy Alvarez, community leaders and community members impacted by issues like pollution to discuss environmental injustice and solutions for the Watts Community and beyond. Photos and broll available here.

“When news first broke about there possibly being lead in some faucets here in Watts, I said that this was going to require a whole of government approach. That’s what you see here,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “We are taking the environmental contamination issues in Watts seriously, and we are committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to ensure Watts residents live in safe conditions, breathe clean air and drink clean water. Everyone deserves access to clean air and clean water, and thanks to partnership with our EPA Administrator, we are creating environmental strides and we are creating environmental equity in an area that deserves more.”

“It was an honor to be invited to Watts yesterday by my friend and partner, Mayor Karen Bass,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “We cannot solve these problems from behind a desk in Washington DC. I heard directly from residents and advocates who are bearing the brunt of environmental injustices in their backyards, including serious concerns about lead in drinking water. I want to assure the Watts community and all communities that EPA and the Biden-Harris administration will work with local leaders like Mayor Karen Bass to tackle these problems head on.”

“For too long, the Watts community has suffered environmental injustices through neglect, but now, by working with community leaders and organizations like Tim Watkins, the WLCAC, and the Better Watts Initiative, we have an opportunity to right these historic wrongs,” said Tim McOsker, Councilmember of the 15th District. “Together, we can ensure that every child and every family in Watts has access to clean, safe drinking water. Since the release of the Better Watts Initiative’s study, I have been working with Mayor Bass and our local agencies to address this critical issue, and I’m grateful that EPA Administrator Michael Regan was able to join us today in Watts to help find solutions and show our residents that this problem will be vigorously pursued, and no longer pushed aside and ignored.”

“HACLA’s mission to improve the quality of life for Angelenos doesn’t stop with just a place to reside, but a place to call home and home should be a place where people feel protected and safe,” said HACLA Interim President & CEO Marlene Garza. “As an agency dedicated to housing and serving some of the most marginalized members of our society, we have seen firsthand the impacts of environmental injustice and the disproportionate impact they often have on our communities. Leaning into solutions to these inequities definitely requires an all-government approach and we are deeply grateful to Mayor Bass for her dedication and the Environmental Protection Agency for their swift action as we seek to collectively resolve this issue.”

“We have worked closely in collaboration with city leaders and HACLA to test both our water distribution lines, which are free of lead, and those on private and City properties,” said Janisse Quiñones, CEO and Chief Engineer of LADWP. “Our top priority will always be the health, safety and well-being of our customers and we are determined to do whatever is necessary to ensure that.”

Following reports of preliminary indications of lead found in water in Watts, Mayor Bass immediately convened local leaders including Councilmember Tim McOsker, HACLA, LADWP, Tim Watkins, President and CEO of WLCAC and Danielle Hoague, a doctoral student at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, to establish a testing plan at HACLA sites. Comprehensive water quality testing is ongoing to pinpoint the source of lead contamination. Both XRF diffraction and water sample testing are being conducted, with a focus on in-premise plumbing from fixtures, galvanized pipes, or lead solder. HACLA is considering the use of a third-party consultant to ensure the delivery of safe, clean water to its residents.

OTHER ACTION TAKEN:

• LADWP has mobilized nearly 2,000 sample kits in partnership with HACLA and is processing close to 1,000 water quality samples, dedicating a specialized team to ensure a prompt investigation of water quality that impacts the health and safety of our residents.

• LADWP has provided mobile hydration stations equipped with filtration systems to ensure residents are safe as we conduct comprehensive water studies.

• LADWP has conducted comprehensive testing to verify that the source of potential lead is not from the City’s drinking water system, which serves Watts as well as other areas of our City. Tests have consistently indicated that the City water supply is safe and meets the highest environmental standards.

• HACLA continues to actively engage its residents and is working closely with Resident Leaders, Community Coaches and Green Ambassadors to hold Weekly Resident Leader Briefings to keep residents informed, involve them in the testing and to promptly address any questions or concerns that arise.

• LADWP, in their commitment to the larger Watts Community, is partnering with locally based nonprofits to assist with property pipe and faucet water quality investigations.  Starting next month, they will be distributing 30,000 flyers through respected community leaders to encourage greater participation in LADWP’s home water testing program.  This initiative is part of their ongoing efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all residents in Watts.

• HACLA is working with the Department of Public Health in providing additional resources and guidance to tenants, including free onsite blood testing for lead. The free testing is starting at Nickerson Gardens and will go to all public housing sites in Watts.