LOS ANGELES – Following one of the rainiest Novembers in recent memory, Mayor Karen Bass Nov. 25 announced that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power or LADWP estimates the cumulative amount of stormwater captured since Oct.1, is nearly 5.5 billion gallons of water, enough to meet the annual water needs of almost 68,000 L.A. households.
Stormwater capture is an important element of LADWP’s overall plan to enhance Los Angeles’ water supply. LADWP uses various methods for capturing rainwater, including neighborhood green stormwater infrastructure, residential rain barrels and cisterns, and large spreading grounds – like the Tujunga Spreading Grounds – that help recharge underwater aquifers that serve as “groundwater banks.” This groundwater can be pumped and treated to water quality standards for residential use.
LADWP’s stormwater capture facilities have the capacity to capture more than 83,000 acre-feet per year (more than 27 billion gallons) under average conditions. Stormwater runoff that cannot be contained at these facilities is discharged to the Pacific Ocean via streams, rivers, and storm drains. LADWP will continue implementing stormwater capture projects that decrease the amount of runoff lost to the Pacific Ocean, including through large-scale spreading ground enhancements and smaller-scale strategies that leverage green streets, rain gardens, and rain barrels.
How Angelenos Can Help Capture Stormwater
LADWP customers can also capture stormwater and use it for watering landscapes instead of drinking water. LADWP provides rebates that range from $50 for rain barrels that hold at least 50 gallons of water, to $300 to $500 for cisterns ranging in size from 200 to over 1,000 gallons.
Details: Learn more about LADWP’s stormwater capture efforts and projects here.