Rainwater Harvesting to Stop Accepting Applications

Tomorrow is the last day (for residents) to submit an application for the Rainwater Harvesting program. If you have not yet submitted your application, please make sure to do so ASAP at www.larainwaterharvesting.org Please note that businesses are still encouraged to apply after tomorrow's deadline.

LA WATERSHED PROTECTION DIVISION MANAGER NAMED OUTSTANDING CIVIL ENGINEER

The American Society of Civil Engineers, Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch (ASCE MLAB) named Dr. Shahram Kharaghani, manager of the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation Watershed Protection Division, as 2009 Outstanding Civil Engineer in Government. The honor is given to public servants who promote and implement innovative concepts, research and materials to help advance the field of civil engineering.

As manager of the City’s stormwater pollution abatement programs and flood control infrastructure, Shahram ensures the City’s compliance with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). He is also responsible for the implementation of five stormwater model programs in the areas of Illicit Connection/Discharge, Public Agency, Construction, Planning and Engineering.

Shahram is also credited for the successful passage of Proposition O, the $500-million clean water bond that funds more than 25 stormwater projects that improve water quality in the City of Los Angeles. A stormwater expert with more than 25 years of experience in various aspects of engineering, Shahram is a registered professional civil engineer in the State of California and board-certified environmental engineer.

Shahram will receive the award at the organization’s awards banquet on October 8 at the Tom Bradley Tower in downtown City Hall.

For more information about Shahram and the Watershed Protection Division, visit http://www.lastormwater.org/.

Also be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter to get news from Shahram and our Stormwater Program team.

2009 Stormwater Mitigation Handbook for LA Builders and Developers

The City of Los Angeles recently produced a new Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan (SUSMP) handbook entitled How to Build Protection for Mother Nature Into Your Project for local designers and developers. To view or download the handbook, click here.

Depending on the type of project, either a Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan (SUSMP) or a Site Specific Mitigation Plan is required to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of rainfall runoff that leaves the site. Developers are encouraged to coordinate with the City’s SUSMP Public Counter staff during the design phase of their projects to ensure compliance with these regulations. The handbook also provides information on stormwater mitigation features such as vegetated filter strips, porous pavement, flow-through planters, parking lot tree wells, infiltration swales, and rooftop water capture systems.

SUSMP or Site-Specific Mitigation Plans are required as part of a project plan submittal package. Project applicants should contact the City of Los Angeles’ SUSMP Public Counter before submitting a building permit application to the City’s Department of Building and Safety. The City’s SUSMP Public Counter is located at 201 North Figueroa Street, 3rd Floor, Station 18, Los Angeles. CA. SUSMP staff can be reached by calling (213) 482-7066.

Additional information about the City’s Stormwater Program can be found at http://www.lastormwater.org/.

Two Important Stormwater Update Meetings Next Week

1) PROPOSITION “O” GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS CITIZENS OVERSIGHT ADVISORYCOMMITTEE (COAC)
SPECIAL MEETING
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
1 p.m.
ECHO PARK RECREATION CENTER
1632 Bellevue Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Contact: Mark Tullai - (213) 473-7567

http://ens.lacity.org/cao/propocitizencom/caopropocitizencom235662658_092=20

2) TEMESCAL CANYON STORMWATER PROJECT UPDATE

Thursday, October 1, 2009

6 p.m. - 8p.m.

PALISADE BRANCH LIBRARY

861 Alma Real

Los Angeles, CA 90272

Contact: Maria Martin -(213) 485-5753

http://ens.lacity.org/techdocs/emg/Environmental_Review_Documents.htm

Coastal Cleanup Day This Saturday at Locations Throughout LA County

Be a part of the largest volunteer day on the planet on Coastal Cleanup Day!

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2009
Time: 9 am - 12 noon
Who: You + 12,000 other volunteers!
Where: Over 60 locations in L.A. County
Supplies: All cleanup supplies are provided – bags, gloves, data card, pencil, etc.
How to volunteer: Just show up! Learn more

*For other California locations, please visit the California Coastal Commission website at http://www.coastal.ca.gov/

Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) began in 1985 and has grown into a huge annual event. Every state with a coastline participates, including the Great Lakes states, and even some inland states clean river and lake shores. The one-day cleanup is international—at last count, over 60 nations participated—and may be the largest volunteer day on the planet. Heal the Bay and the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors are the Los Angeles County coordinators for the state of California's Coastal Cleanup Day. We bring out over 10,000 volunteers to cleanup sites each year in L.A. County to over 60 sites along Santa Monica Bay and along inland creeks and waterways.

Coastal Cleanup Day involves individuals, schools, community and company volunteer groups. Volunteers in Los Angeles County typically collect tens of thousands of pounds of trash and recyclables during a three-hour period. By filling out the trash "data cards" during the cleanup, volunteers are helping to identify and stop polluters in the future. Most people clean at the beach and on foot, but there are also special cleanups for inland creeks, boaters, kayakers, and divers. By far the most common item picked up are cigarette butts. Some of the more unusual items found in recent years were a chandelier, a briefcase full of graham crackers, and a bridal gown.

For all other information, visit www.healthebay.org/ccd

Low Flow Diversion Projects Throughout LA Get Upgrades and Good Grades

Starting in October, five low-flow diversion (LFD) structures located along Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades will be simultaneously upgraded. Approximately $30 million from Prop O funds will be spent for the upgrades, which will allow the structures to operate year-round during dry weather, as well as for the installment of a new sewer line.



The five LFDs include:

Santa Monica Canyon

Palisades Park at Potrero Canyon

Temescal Canyon

Bay Club Drive

Marquez Avenue


During the dry season (April to October), water run-off funnels into these structures before traveling to the Hyperion Water Treatment Plant near El Segundo, where it is cleaned and released into the ocean.



To date, the five LFDs have been successful in helping three Will Rogers beaches earn high marks from Heal the Bay during the dry season this past year.


For more information on Low Flow Diversion and what the City is doing, click here.

September 17th: Scoping Meeting for Machado Lake

The Machado Lake Ecosystem Rehabilitation project needs the support of the community to meet the goals of clean water, wildlife improvements, and healthy parks for Los Angeles.

Please come join us and participate in a scoping meeting:

Thursday, September 17
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Kaiser Permanente Hospital Conference Room and Education Center
Located on Normandie Avenue between PCH and Permanente Way
Conference Rooms A1 and A2
Harbor City, CA 90710

The Machado Lake ecosystem, which includes Wilmington Drain, has been negatively impacted by trash, proliferation of invasive plant species, eutrophication, and sediment and nutrient accumulation, which has resulted in degraded water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and hydraulic capacity.

To address these problems, the City is proposing to implement a variety of measures designed to improve water quality; help meet adopted and future Total Maximum Daily Loads criteria; enhance riparian, wetland, and upland habitats; improve hydrologic and hydraulic conditions; and restore existing recreational amenities as well as develop new ones.

Click here to read more information on the Environment Impact Report and for further details of the scoping meeting.

Elmer Ave Construction Tour Held Next Week

The Elmer Avenue Project is part of the Los Angeles Basin I Water Augmentation Study, a long-term research project led by the Los Angeles & San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council in partnership with eight local, state, and federal agencies to assess the practical potential to improve surface water quality and increase local groundwater supplies through infiltration of urban storm water runoff.

On July 14th, 2009, construction started on the Elmer Avenue Neighborhood Retrofit Demonstration project. The project, located in Sun Valley, is demonstrating multiple alternative storm water Best Management Practices including infiltration trenches, bio-swales, and permeable surfaces, to create a Green Street.

The construction crew has been making great progress and the residents are excited to see this project moving forward. To date installation of catch basins and the southern infiltration trench have been completed.

As a project partner or supporter of the Elmer Avenue Construction project, the Watershed Council and the Water Augmentation Study Technical Advisory Committee would like to invite you to take a tour of the progress next week:

Elmer Avenue Construction Tour
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
10am to 11:30am
Elmer Avenue at Keswick Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352

*Please RSVP by August 31st to edward@lasgrwc.org*

Listen to the Rainwater Harvesting Podcast

The Homegrown Evolution blog, kicked off its very fist podcast with a story about the LA Rainwater Harvesting program! Erik Knutzen interviews Wing Tam (LA Stormwater) about the program in the second half of the podcast. The show is concluded with a reaction to the Rainwater Harvesting program from Joe Linton (LA Creek Freak blog). Listen at http://www.homegrownevolution.com/2009/08/homegrown-evolution-podcast-episode-1.html#comments

LA Rainwater Harvesting Program Generating Community Action and Buzz

The good news keeps on coming! We’ve had over 300 people who have submitted LA Rainwater Harvesting applications thus far and those sign-ups are currently being reviewed for eligibility. The installation stage (where we hook up free rain barrels, reroute downspouts or install free planter boxes) is slated to begin early September.

We want to thank everyone for making the program such a success to date and encourage you to continue to share this exciting Los Angeles Rainwater Harvesting momentum with your friends, families and neighbors! We still need your help in spreading the word.

You may have already seen us highlighted in some of our favorite and trusted blogs including L.A. Creek Freak, Green LA Girl, Mar Vista Green Gardens Showcase, LAist, Chance of Rain, Apartment Therapy, Inspire the Change and Your Daily Thread.

So whether it is via your blog, facebook or twitter, please remind people that every rain drop counts and let them know that they can join in on this win win Rainwater Harvesting pilot program. Direct them to our web site http://larainwaterharvesting.org./ to find out more.

Free rain barrel, downspout disconnect, or planter box. Check.
Free installation. Check.
Save on your water costs. Check.
Save our ocean! Yes!

California Beach Pollution Still on the Rise

Information taken from LA Times article:
California beaches face a rising tide of pollution, study finds
by: Amy Littlefield



The National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) reports a 4% increase in beach pollution violations from 2007-2008.



According to the NRDC report, which collects data through the Enviromental Protection Agency, 10% of water samples at California beaches last year contained more human fecal bacteria than the state allows, creating health and sanitary issues for all beachgoers.



Bacteria can flow into beach water from sewage accidents such as the spill that forced
closures in Long Beach on Monday, but also through stormwater flowing through urban areas. The "urban runoff" pick ups animal waste, fertilizer, motor oil and other contaminants that are dumped into the ocean through our untreated waterways.



Although researchers linked 9% of contamination to sewage and 3% to storm water, the
vast majority (81%) came from unknown sources



These high bacteria levels lead to sickness and beach closures at some of the most popular tourist destinations in Southern California.

For more information on beach water quality, be sure to check out Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card.

Are You Eligible for the FREE Rainwater Harvesting Program?

What's the Rainwater Harvesting Program?

Eariler this month, the Stormwater Program rolled out the City’s first Rainwater Harvesting pilot program that will provide free assistance to residents and commercial businesses willing to collect rainwater for storage and use for their private property irrigation. The program aims to reduce the polluted rainwater that goes into the ocean and help conserve the use of potable water.

“We Angelenos, living in a 'dry' climate, have heard that urban runoff is the greatest source of ocean pollution, and we want to do our part; but we often don't know what we can do to make an impact on such a large problem,” says Pamela Brestler of G3, The Green Gardens Group. “As neighbors disconnect their downspouts and reconnect with each other in communities throughout Los Angeles, the larger pollution problem is significantly reduced and the individuals will feel the power and fun of working with their neighbors to make a difference in their communities,” adds Brestler.

Residents that sign up for the program will be eligible for complementary installations of rain barrels and downspout disconnections, or planter boxes for businesses. The captured rainwater will then be either routed to pervious surfaces or used for on-site irrigation. The program allows residents and businesses to become part of the solution in transforming rainwater from urban runoff to a natural commodity.

Who is Eligible?

The program aims to enlist 600 Los Angeles property owners in the targeted neighborhoods by fall 2009, and will set goals for citywide participation (download our brochure here).

What are the Environmental Benefits?

A typical Los Angeles home directs an average of 14,000 gallons of water down its downspouts and into the storm drain system annually. This water may collect pollutants, including trash, pet waste, oil and grease or other chemicals. As an alternative, the Rainwater Harvesting program will allow homeowners to collect the rainwater and reduce the amount of rainwater pollution entering the Santa Monica Bay. The captured rainwater will be maintained on individual properties to irrigate lawns and gardens thereby also helping residents comply with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s recently-mandated water conservation requirements.

Wing Tam, City of Los Angeles Rainwater Harvesting program manager says, “This program sets an important first step for future citywide roll-out. Our hope is that the pilot areas will begin the momentum needed to generate interest in harvesting rainwater throughout the entire community. Ultimately, the beauty of the program is that it establishes community members and the City as collaborators, both working together for a more sustainable water supply and a clean ocean.”

How is the Program Being Funded?

This program is being funded by the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000 (Prop 12) through the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and the California Coastal Conservancy.

How Do I Sign-Up?

For more information about the Rainwater Harvesting program and enrollment, including an online sign-up option, please visit LArainwaterharvesting.org or call (562) 597-0205.

Click here to view the e-newsletter article.

Mandatory Water Conservation Hits Los Angeles

Southern California is facing a water supply shortage for the third year in a row. Most of Los Angeles’ water supplies are imported and the sources of this water are greatly impacted by drought and regulatory restrictions. As a result, the City of Los Angeles is calling for drastic water conservation.
Due to this water shortage, on June 1 the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) initiated billing changes to Los Angeles customers. Under these new rate changes, the amount of water DWP rate payers are able to purchase at the lowest price – as indicated on monthly bills as “Tier 1”, will be reduced by 15%. Customers already conserving 15% of their Tier 1 allowance will not be affected. However, customers who exceed their monthly Tier 1 allotment will be charged the more expensive Tier 2 rate for every gallon used over Tier 1. These customers will see their water bills rise.

"Los Angeles, quite famously, has imported most of its water since the advent of the Los Angeles Aqueduct almost 100 years ago. Today, with both a natural drought statewide and a regulatory drought due to restrictions placed on the importation of water from the Delta, our water supplies are significantly reduced. We have no choice but to enact mandatory conservation," said David Nahai, LADWP Chief Executive Officer and General Manager. "We all must do our part to cut back on our use of water - especially outdoors, where water can most easily be saved."

The shortage rates program being imposed by LADWP is not the same as water rationing. Under a water rationing program the LADWP would allot a certain amount of water for each customer. Instead, the LADWP is implementing a shortage year rates program. Each customer is allotted 15% less water at the lowest Tier 1 rate, and if the household does not exceed this fixed amount of water, they will avoid paying a higher rate. This “price signal” is intended to encourage customers to conserve water.

In addition to the shortage year rates program, a sprinkler ordinance also went into effect on June 1, making it illegal to water lawns on any day except Mondays and Thursdays. The City now prohibits watering landscaping between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., which includes water that could flow to the storm drain. Also prohibited is the washing off of sidewalks, driveways and the washing of vehicles with a hose unless it has an automatic shut off device. Restaurants have also been impacted; when dining out, patrons will only be served water if they specifically request a glass. LADWP encourages everyone to work together to conserve water. A LADWP water conservation hotline has been set up to report violators. Call (800) DIAL-DWP (800-342-5397) to report someone wasting our city's most precious natural resource.

“It is our hope that these restrictions and rate increases will help individuals conserve water, which is not an endless resource in Southern California,” says Stormwater Program Manager Shahram Kharaghani. “It is the joint goal of the Stormwater Program and the Department of Water and Power to reduce the amount of water consumers use, and in turn help to reduce stormwater runoff contributed by individual households during our dry summer months.”
For easy household water conservation tips, please visit http://www.bewaterwise.com/.

Click here for the e-newsletter article.

Rainwater Gets a Second Chance

Planning efforts for the Proposition O funded Westside Park Rainwater Irrigation Project are currently underway and runoff from 3,700 acres of land adjacent to South Fairfax Avenue will be targeted in an effort to reduce stormwater pollution that currently flows into Ballona Creek and Santa Monica Bay.

Once completed this project will help to reduce beach closures, increase tourism, benefit marine habitat and enable the City to meet stormwater pollutant reduction goals while using stormwater to irrigate the park’s landscape.

“One of the big benefits of the Westside Park Rainwater Irrigation Project is how it will reduce the need for outside water sources for irrigation in this park,” says Wing Tam of the City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program. “In a drought year, using rainwater for irrigation will drastically reduce potable water use in the area and cut our expenses significantly.”

Reusing rainwater is at the heart of the Westside Park Rainwater Irrigation Project. Off-site surface runoff will be diverted from an existing storm drain to a lift station that will filter water through a screen removing floatable waste and heavy sediments. A filtration system consisting of a two-acre network of sub-surface irrigation pipes will provide water to the park's natural vegetation through root uptake. Excess filtered stormwater will be stored in a series of underground chambers. Once these chambers reach their capacity, the surplus water is discharged towards a dry creek and back into a storm drain.

In addition, the Westside Park will benefit the surrounding neighborhood. A playground, that will be financed through sources other than Proposition O, will be developed providing children and their families with a Universally Accessible Playground to romp and play on during a sunny weekend afternoon. An outdoor fitness center featuring exercise equipment will draw health-enthusiasts of all ages. Lastly, a new solar-powered lighting system and fencing will make the surrounding community a safer place for the Angelenos who call the La Cienega/Fairfax area their home.

It is multi-beneficial projects like this that make our communities better," says Cynthia Ruiz, president, Board of Public Works. "It is exciting that we are moving forward with this important stormwater improvement project that will not only affect Westside Park, but the neighborhood at large.”

Construction on the Westside Park Rainwater Irrigation Project will begin in July 2010 and end in July 2011.

Click here to view the e-newsletter article.


In Brief:

Planning begins for Fairfax Proposition O-funded Stormwater project

- Rainwater reuse eliminates using potable water for outdoor irrigation

- Community improvements also include a new, safer park

- Construction will be completed in July 2011

Stormwater Pollution During a Summer Drought? You Betcha...

As the heat rolls into Los Angeles and California enters another period of drought, you may be wondering why stormwater pollution is even an issue during these dry summer months. If there is no rain then there is no urban runoff, right?

Well, not exactly.

It's true that the rainy months in our area increase the amount of water that flows through our city’s creeks and rivers; however, even during months with minimal or no rainfall, approximately 100 million gallons of untreated water still flow from our streets to the ocean every day. That's the equivalent of filling up the Rose Bowl with water 1.2 times.

Where does this water come from? It comes from you and me. It comes from our sprinklers, from our driveways and gardens. Anytime we use water outside our homes and businesses, it has the potential to wash into our storm drains, even in the middle of a dry summer. If you wash your vehicle in your driveway, the soapy water may wash into the street, eventually flowing to the ocean. If you water your lawn excessively, that water, too, may end up flowing to our beaches where it doesn’t belong. Certainly not all the water that enters our storm drains is dirty to begin with, but the chemicals and debris that it picks up along the way are extremely hazardous to our health and safety. Pesticides applied to gardens, fluids leaking from an old car, soap used to wash a new car, StyrofoamÒ cups discarded in the gutter by partygoers - urban runoff mixes with all these pollutants creating the toxic soup that flows to our local beaches.

The good news is that by applying a few simple tips we can prevent all of this. This is where good housekeeping practices and water conservation work hand in hand. Not only is it cost effective to limit the amount of water we use, it is also environmentally sound. The less we water our lawns, the less likely we are to contribute to stormwater pollution. Likewise, the less we use pesticides or fertilizer (even if it is organic), the less likely these substances are to enter our waterways.

There are many options available to residents who want to enjoy an attractive garden and reduce their urban runoff footprint. Nurseries can provide gardeners with information about native plants,* as well as creative tips on reducing or eliminating their lawn size, as grass needs a significant amount of water to survive in LA's Mediterranean climate. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average American family uses 400 gallons of water per day, with 120 gallons of that water used for outdoor purposes. By simply changing outdoor watering habits like installing a drip irrigation system or replanting a portion of a yard with native plant species, each family could potentially decrease or eliminate 840 gallons of water used per week!

Of course in LA where the car is king we all want a clean vehicle, but doing it ourselves in our driveways or on the street creates problems. Not only does it consume quite a bit of water, but the soaps we use, even if biodegradable, can negatively affect water quality, too. When washing a vehicle, consider taking it to a car wash where the water is reused and captured onsite.

These are just a few of the things residents can do this summer to aid the City’s effort in cleaning up our streets and improving our ocean’s water quality. It doesn’t take a great deal of sacrifice to make a significant environmental impact. Our work is dependent on engaged citizens such as yourself to push our city forward. Remember - conserving water and improving its quality is a team effort.

Sincerely,

Shahram Kharaghani
Stormwater Program Manager

Click here for the e-newsletter article.

In Brief:

On a dry day, 100 million gallons of water flow to the ocean through the storm drain system. Tips to help reduce storm drain runoff include:
- Reducing sprinkler and landscape watering habits
- Consider replacing grass with native plants
- Reducing water pollution is a community effort and begins with each of us