Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a pilot initiative that aims to double the recycled water capacity at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant just south of the Los Angeles International Airport.

“This is a second Mulholland moment for Los Angeles – a chance to protect our water supply tomorrow by reimagining infrastructure today,” Garcetti said. “Increasing our supply of locally sourced water will help ensure that Angelenos always have reliable access to clean water – in dry and wet years.”

The pilot program at Hyperion marks an important step toward the city’s goal of becoming the most sustainable city in the world; it is the result of an agreement between the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the West Basin Municipal Water District. It will test new methods of treating the recycled water sent from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant to a nearby treatment center in El Segundo run by West Basin. When fully built out in 2026, the city expects to double Hyperion’s recycling capacity from 35 to 70 million gallons of water per day.

In an average year, approximately 80 percent of Los Angeles’ water needs are filled by imported water. Garcetti’s Sustainable City pLAn set a goal of cutting the city’s purchases of imported water by 50 percent by 2025 and sourcing 50 percent of water locally by 2035 – and the Hyperion pilot marks an important step toward this target. Garcetti also announced plans to build a new, separate 1.5 MGD water recycling facility at Hyperion which is expected to be completed in 2020 and will serve LAX.

“This pilot demonstrates a collaborative effort and regional commitment to reusing our valuable water resources,” said West Basin Board President Donald L. Dear. “As West Basin continues to diversify its supply portfolio and grow its water recycling program, we look forward to expanding our partnership with the city of Los Angeles and addressing our water goals together.”

The efforts at Hyperion are part of a growing portfolio of water recycling projects spearheaded by Garcetti to reduce Los Angeles’ dependence on imported water.

Last month, Garcetti broke ground at the North Hollywood West Groundwater Treatment facility – which, once operational, will further reduce the city’s dependence on imported water. The city has also doubled water recycling capacity at the Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant, and has expansion plans for the Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant, and the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys.