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LADWP Breaks Ground on the Largest Ultraviolet Water Treatment Facility in the West

LADWP Breaks Ground on the Largest Ultraviolet Water Treatment Facility in the West

Facility to Provide State-of-the-Art Treatment Technology to Comply with New EPA Regulations
LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) officials, joined by Councilmember Greig Smith, broke ground today on the construction of a new ultraviolet (UV) water treatment facility at the Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant (LAAFP) in Sylmar. The UV facility will add an advanced level of protection to the LADWP’s treatment process to comply with new water quality regulations established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

“This new ultraviolet water treatment plant will ensure that the citizens of Los Angeles have the cleanest, safest water available and that we continue to meet – or beat – EPA standards,” said Councilman Greig Smith, who represents the 12th District.

“With the construction of this treatment facility, we’re investing $60 million dollars of our customers’ money in ultraviolet purification to help us comply with new and more stringent water quality regulations,” said LADWP General Manager Ronald O. Nichols. “It is only by continually meeting and exceeding these regulations that we can continue to provide the highest level of water service to our customers.”

The state-of-the-art UV treatment facility at the LAAFP is part of LADWP’s continuing commitment to provide the highest level of protection for Los Angeles’ water supply. Treating approximately 600 million gallons of water per day—enough to fill the Rose Bowl nearly eight times daily— the UV facility will be the largest west of the Mississippi River and the second largest in the United States.

“At LADWP, we continually pursue innovations that will ensure high quality water for our customers,” said James B. McDaniel, Senior Assistant General Manager, LADWP Water System. “We were the first in the nation when we built the largest ozone and direct filtration water treatment facility over 20 years ago, and we’re blazing the trail once again with this advanced UV facility.”

UV treatment is one of the most cost effective methods available, and has been identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency as one of the most effective purification methods for water treatment.

LADWP currently meets water quality regulations disinfection requirements at the LAAFP through a combination of ozone, filtration, and chlorine treatments. Using light to purify the water instead of chemicals, the introduction of UV treatment will not cause any change to the color, taste, or smell of LADWP’s water. The addition of a UV light treatment facility at the LAAFP will help protect against microbial contaminants that exist naturally in surface water sources and will reduce the use of chemical treatments, such as ozone and chlorine.

The new treatment facility is expected to begin operation in April 2014.

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