The City of Los Angeles’ wastewater system serves over four million people in Los Angeles and 27 cities that contract for this public works service. The system is comprised of more than 6,500 miles of sewer pipelines and four wastewater treatment and water reclamation plants that can process over 550 million gallons of flow each day citywide. The following is a summary of the wastewater collection and treatment facilities currently operated by the Department of Public Works.

Wastewater Collection System – the Sewers

• Over 6,500 miles of sewers ranging from eight inches to 12 feet in diameter
• 48 pumping plants lift wastewater from low-lying communities into larger sewers

Wastewater Treatment Plants

• Hyperion Treatment Plant, the City’s largest facility, serves more than two-thirds of Los Angeles and has a capacity to process 450 million gallons per day (mgd); 100% secondary treatment
• Terminal Island Treatment Plant in San Pedro, serves Los Angeles Harbor area communities and has a capacity of 30 mgd; soon to be a water reclamation plant; 100% tertiary treatment with reverse osmosis treatment scheduled for late 2003.

Water Reclamation Plants

• Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, serving San Fernando Valley communities, has the capacity to process 64 mgd (once the planned Nitrification/Denitrification project is completed), 100% tertiary treatment
•  Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant serves eastern San Fernando Valley communities; it has the capacity to process 15 mgd (once the planned Nitrification/Denitrification project is completed), 100% tertiary treatment
• All wastewater treatment and water reclamation plants operate 24 hours a day, year round.

Biosolids Handling

• Hyperion and Terminal Island treatment plants have facilities on-site to process sewage sludge (solids removed during wastewater treatment) into biosolids
• Sewage sludge removed from wastewater at the Donald C. Tillman and Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plants is returned to the sewer system and treated at Hyperion
• Stabilized and dewatered biosolids are used as soil nutrients primarily at the City of Los Angeles’ 4,700-acre farm in Kern County. The City’s 100% beneficial use program began in 1989 and is one of the largest in the country. The U.S. EPA has recognized the City’s program with two national awards for outstanding use of biosolids

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