Environment
L.A. prepares aging Hyperion plant for heavy winter storms
The city is adding staff and testing backup systems as forecasters warn that a strong El Niño could strain the wastewater plant serving Los Angeles and nearby cities.
Los Angeles sanitation officials are preparing the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant for a potentially powerful El Niño winter, the Los Angeles Times reported October 2. The Playa del Rey facility handles roughly 95% of the city’s sewage and is also used by nearly 30 other cities and agencies.
What it means locally
Heavy rain can enter cracks in aging sewer pipes and send additional water toward Hyperion, raising the risk of overloaded equipment, sewage backups or a spill into Santa Monica Bay. LA Sanitation told the Times that crews add staff during extreme weather and test generators, redundant systems and other equipment between April and October. The city says Hyperion is its oldest and largest wastewater-treatment facility and can handle up to 800 million gallons a day. In 2021, human error and equipment failure flooded the plant and led to a 17-million-gallon sewage discharge; officials say many recommended changes have since been made, but a severe storm season would test the system. The accompanying aerial photograph shows Hyperion in September 2015 and is archival; it does not depict current preparations or storm conditions.
Full report and further details: Read original report →