The Long Beach Business Journal recently reported on the Long Beach Water Department’s efforts to provide water at a time of growing demand and dwindling supply. The article outlined a legal ruling in favor of greater municipal control of local underground aquifers for water storage, which gives the Long Beach Water Department (LBWD) the ability to respond to drought conditions more effectively. Also highlighted in the article were the incredible citywide water conservation efforts that have led Long Beach to a record-setting, ten-year low this past March in terms of water use. The article noted that a full-scale desalination plant is in the works as a new, more energy-efficient process for ensuring the water supply. All these efforts will help to provide citizens with vital access to water, and these efforts can only be enhanced as we continue turning to more sustainable water-use practices.
Founded in 1911, the LBWD has reliably served the city’s thirst for H2O for nearly a century. Since LBWD has become one of the most cutting-edge municipal water suppliers in Southern California: for instance, due to its diverse water supply portfolio less than one-third of its diverse water-supply portfolio is made up of imported water (the other two-thirds are made up of a combination of groundwater and recycled water). To further diversify the water supply and reduce reliance on imported water, the LBWD plans on employing desalination.
While the LBWD continues to do good work for the city, the municipal government and the citizenry have an important part to play in further reducing our dependence on water from faraway lands. Needless to say, as users we must challenge ourselves to do an even better job of conserving water. There are many ways to reduce consumption, from proper maintenance to modifying our social and physical environment, and while some measures can be surprisingly easy, others will be more difficult.
According to the American Association of Water Works, the typical individual uses nearly 70 gallons of water inside their home daily. Changing habits like turning off the faucet while brushing one’s teeth, or taking shorter showers, can certainly help reduce water use, as can water-conserving appliances like Energy Star dishwashers and washing machines. One crucial way to reduce water waste is by maintaining proper plumbing: on average, fixing leaks would reduce water consumption by nearly ten gallons a day per person average.
Stepping outside the home, it bears emphasizing that the Los Angeles-Orange County region is a semi-arid coastal desert climate, and selecting plants adapted for such a climate will reduce the need for irrigation. Such plants of course still need water, particularly when being established, but their ongoing use significantly reduces the need for regular watering. It is thus heartening that the use of native and other drought-resistant landscaping is gaining popularity among homeowners and businesses in Southern California. In fact, the city is beginning to employ water-conscious plants for their streetscape improvement projects and civic buildings; fittingly enough, the LBWD Headquarters is one of the best examples of such landscaping.
When developing new facilities it will be important to employ water-conserving measures, whether for plumbing or landscaping. In this regard, it is helpful that Long Beach has a “green building” policy requiring new developments of a certain size to be “LEED certified or equivalent.” LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and is a sustainability rating system developed by the US Green Building Council. This comprehensive system encourages energy and water conservation, but also addresses the retention and treatment of on-site rainwater.
In this regard, the state also requires Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plans (SUSMPs) for all new development. Although different cities have differing interpretations of these mitigation plans, the general intention is to filter and detain rainwater, including the often most polluted runoff from the initial portions of rainwater. Doing so reduces the burden on municipal storm sewers and minimizes the amount of pollution ultimately ejected into the Pacific Ocean. The city should round out its water-saving policies by working to improving stormwater retention and treatment. Ideally, this would include ensuring that new development retains as much rainwater on-site as possible, either for direct use or to allow it to percolate into the ground, thus recharging local aquifers. This can take place by natural forms like bioswales (wide, shallow channels with a slight gradient, to allow water to percolate into the ground), retention basins, or even manufactured water retention systems like Filterra.
In short, Long Beach city government should practice what it preaches when it comes to sustainable stormwater management practices. There should be a greater effort to employ green infrastructure practices; this could include reducing impervious surfaces that encourage runoff, expanding planted parkways, and creating rain-gardens and bioswales beside streets. Naturalizing the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers would further expand the sources charging the underground aquifer, while also reducing stormwater run-off into the ocean. This would just further develop a course of action already visible in Los Angeles County Public Works wetlands restoration projects along the Los Angeles River at the Dominguez Gap. These natural flood control facilities capture stormwater runoff and filter pollution using natural vegetation before permeating into the ground.
All of these initiatives would, of course, cost money to implement, but they would likely provide long-term savings as the cost of imported water rises as the population of Southern California continues to grow, placing greater pressure on a dwindling water supply. The LBWD’s past and future efforts have thus far placed little additional financial burden on rate-payers, but we must plan for the future. Might there be a benefit in further investing in sustainable stormwater management systems, or to expand desalination facilities if proven to be successful? The LBWD’s diverse water supply helps the city adapt to an uncertain future, but we must do our part to help.
Disclosure: The Long Beach Water Department is an advertiser of the lbpost.com.