Report on Los Angeles County Wastewater Management and Sustainable Development

Introduction: Aligning Urban Sanitation with Global Sustainability Goals

Los Angeles County’s sanitation infrastructure, serving a population of five million, represents a critical component in the region’s progress towards several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The management of wastewater, from collection and treatment to discharge and reuse, directly impacts SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). A major infrastructure initiative, the Clearwater Project, exemplifies the county’s commitment to building resilient and environmentally responsible systems for the future.

The Clearwater Project: Resilient Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future

Project Overview and Objectives

The Clearwater Project is a significant infrastructure undertaking designed to enhance the resilience and capacity of the region’s wastewater system. It involves the construction of a new seven-mile, 18-foot-diameter tunnel to replace aging and undersized pipelines dating from 1937 and 1958. The project’s objectives are directly aligned with key SDG targets:

• Enhancing System Resilience (SDG 9 & SDG 11): The new tunnel is engineered to modern seismic standards, ensuring the sanitation system can withstand natural disasters and continue to serve the community, a core tenet of building resilient infrastructure and sustainable cities.
• Protecting Public Health and Ecosystems (SDG 3 & SDG 14): By increasing capacity, the project mitigates the risk of raw sewage overflows into local waterways and the L.A. Harbor, which can occur during heavy rainstorms. This protects both human health and marine ecosystems from pollution.
• Enabling Sustainable Maintenance: The new tunnel will allow the L.A. County Sanitation Districts to inspect the two older tunnels for the first time since they became operational, ensuring long-term system integrity.

Technological Innovation and Project Status

The project utilizes an advanced 780-foot-long tunnel boring machine (TBM) named “Rachel” in honor of Rachel Carson, the biologist whose work catalyzed the modern environmental movement. This naming convention reflects a conscious connection between large-scale engineering and environmental stewardship. As of July, the TBM had completed six miles of the tunnel. However, construction has been indefinitely delayed following a partial tunnel collapse, which occurred in a previously cracked section. The incident, which temporarily trapped 31 workers, has pushed the projected completion date back by at least a year from the original 2027 target. The cause of the breach remains under investigation.

Wastewater Treatment Process and Resource Management

Three-Stage Treatment Protocol

The L.A. County Sanitation Districts operate 11 wastewater treatment plants that employ a multi-stage process to ensure water is safe for reuse or release into the environment, a direct contribution to SDG 6. The process includes:

1. Primary Treatment: Raw sewage enters large settling tanks where gravity separates solid materials from the liquid. Air filtration systems control pathogens and odors.
2. Secondary Treatment: In open-air tanks, beneficial bacteria are introduced to consume the remaining organic waste in an oxygen-rich environment.
3. Tertiary Treatment: A final filtration stage removes any remaining solids. The water is then disinfected with chemicals like chlorine to eliminate harmful bacteria, after which the chlorine is removed to produce safe effluent.

Effluent Management and Contribution to SDG 6

The treated effluent is managed in ways that support sustainable water use. At the San Jose Creek plant in Whittier, the water is released into the San Gabriel River or used for irrigating surrounding grounds, including public spaces like Averill Park. The A.K. Warren plant in Carson currently sends its treated effluent into the Pacific Ocean. These practices exemplify the goals of safely managed sanitation and promoting water reuse.

Environmental Monitoring and Protection of Marine Life (SDG 14)

Assessing the Health of Marine Ecosystems

In alignment with SDG 14 (Life Below Water), the L.A. County Sanitation Districts conduct a robust marine biology monitoring program. Scientists regularly collect fish, invertebrates, and water samples from the ocean outfall area off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. This data is used to assess the health of the local marine ecosystem and ensure that discharged effluent does not negatively impact marine life or the safety of fish for human consumption.

Findings and Historical Progress

Recent monitoring reports indicate a healthy and thriving marine environment, a significant improvement from conditions observed in the 1970s. Prior to the full implementation of the Clean Water Act, when sewage received only primary treatment, fish in the area commonly exhibited diseases and lesions. Today, the diversity and health of the species collected are indicators of high water quality. Observed species from a recent trawl include:

• Predatory sea slugs (pleurobranchaea californica)
• Young octopuses
• Various flatfish, including big mouth sole and horny head turbot
• Colonial zooids known as sea pickles
• Armed box crabs and shrimp

The presence of pollutant-intolerant species and the overall health of the fish population demonstrate substantial progress in conserving and sustainably using marine resources.

Future Outlook: Transitioning to a Circular Water Economy

The Pure Water Southern California Project

Looking forward, Los Angeles County is advancing its commitment to sustainable water management by transitioning towards a circular economy model. A new facility, the Pure Water Southern California plant, is planned for construction next to the A.K. Warren plant. This project aims to purify treated wastewater to meet drinking water standards, with the potential to supply water to 1.5 million homes. This initiative represents a critical step in achieving SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and the highest targets of SDG 6 by reducing ocean discharge and creating a resilient, local water supply for a water-scarce region.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts’ wastewater management and infrastructure project addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The core issues of treating sewage, building resilient infrastructure, protecting marine ecosystems, and ensuring public health directly connect to the following SDGs:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The entire article is centered on the management of wastewater for 5 million people, the treatment processes involved, and the safe discharge or reuse of the treated water.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The “Clearwater” project, which involves boring a new 7-mile tunnel, is a major focus. This highlights the need to build and upgrade infrastructure to be resilient, sustainable, and capable of meeting modern standards, such as for earthquakes and stormwater management.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: The article discusses the discharge of treated effluent into the Pacific Ocean and the extensive monitoring of marine life to ensure the ecosystem is not harmed. It contrasts current healthy marine life with the pollution-damaged fish of the 1970s, showing a focus on reducing marine pollution from land-based sources.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The project is a critical component of municipal waste management for a large urban area (Los Angeles County). It aims to reduce the environmental impact of the city and protect it from water-related disasters, such as raw sewage spills.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By treating sewage, the system prevents the spread of waterborne diseases. Furthermore, the article explicitly mentions monitoring fish to “make sure that the fish that you and I might catch… are safe to eat,” directly linking water quality to human health.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s discussion of wastewater treatment, infrastructure upgrades, and environmental monitoring, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
   • Explanation: The article details the three-stage treatment process designed to remove contaminants and “scrubs the air of potent bacteria, pathogens.” It also describes the future “Pure Water” plant, which aims to recycle treated water for human consumption for “1.5 million homes,” directly addressing the goal of increasing recycling and reuse.
2. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being.
   • Explanation: The Clearwater tunnel project is a direct response to the inadequacy of old infrastructure (pipes from 1937 and 1958). The new tunnel is explicitly designed to “handle stormwater, meet modern earthquake standards and free up the older tunnels to be inspected,” which aligns with the goal of creating reliable and resilient infrastructure.
3. Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities.
   • Explanation: The wastewater treatment process is a land-based activity aimed at preventing ocean pollution. The article notes that in the 1970s, before advanced treatment, sewage release led to fish with “lesions or tumors.” The current monitoring, which gives the water a “clean bill of health,” demonstrates a significant reduction in marine pollution from this source.
4. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce… the number of people affected… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters.
   • Explanation: The article states that if the current old tunnels back up, “raw sewage can flow into Machado Lake or Dominguez Channel.” It mentions this “happened during a rainstorm in 2024.” The new tunnel project is designed to prevent these spills, which are a form of water-related disaster in an urban environment.
5. Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
   • Explanation: The treatment process removes harmful pathogens. The marine monitoring program is conducted to “ensure that fish aren’t contaminated” and are “safe to eat,” directly addressing the prevention of illness from water pollution and food source contamination.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Proportion of wastewater safely treated (Indicator for Target 6.3): The article describes a comprehensive three-stage treatment system for plants serving millions of people (e.g., the A.K. Warren plant serves 5 million), implying a high proportion of wastewater is being treated before discharge. The effectiveness is measured by the quality of the final effluent.
• Volume of water recycled (Indicator for Target 6.3): The plan to build a “Pure Water” plant that will “direct treated water to 1.5 million homes” is a direct, measurable indicator of progress in water recycling.
• Health and biodiversity of marine life (Indicator for Target 14.1): The article describes the regular collection of “fish, invertebrates and other critters” as a key activity. The finding of a “diverse array of species” and the absence of “fish rot” or tumors, which were present in the 1970s, serve as a clear bio-indicator of improved water quality and reduced marine pollution.
• Resilience of infrastructure (Indicator for Target 9.1): The construction of the new tunnel designed to “meet modern earthquake standards” is an indicator of building more resilient infrastructure. The ability to finally inspect the old tunnels once the new one is operational will provide data on the state of existing infrastructure.
• Incidence of sewage spills (Indicator for Target 11.5): The article mentions a raw sewage spill in 2024 as a failure of the current system. The primary goal of the Clearwater project is to prevent such occurrences. Therefore, a reduction in the frequency and volume of such spills would be a key indicator of success.
• Safety of consumable fish (Indicator for Target 3.9): The work of environmental scientists to check that local fish are “safe to eat” is a direct public health indicator. Their findings on whether fish are contaminated provide a measure of safety against illness from water pollution.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: laist.com