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Water
The current system for supplying and delivering water to Los Angeles is extremely inefficient, and as a result, the Department of Water Services is the largest consumer of electricity in California. [1] In an effort to combat the fact that Los Angeles is situated within the most arid region in the state and curb its dependency upon purchasing and transporting water from the Colorado River or northern California, Los Angeles has a long history of water conservation and has placed a major emphasis upon water conservation and reclamation technologies. [2] This effort has paid off immensely, and Los Angeles has been able to withstand a 15% increase in the population while maintaining a consistent level of water consumption since the 1990s. [2]
Policy and legislation were instrumental in curbing and maintaining water consumption at a constant level. The Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 122.03 mandated the entire city utilize ultra-low flow toilets and showerheads, and this was a significant in conserving and maintaining water consumption because some of the older toilets used as much as 5 gallons with each flush while the ultra-low flow only use 1.6 gallons of water per flush. [3] In addition to the immense benefit of water conservation and awareness of the necessity to save this precious resource, the sense of community and pride increased because local nonprofit organizations provided and installed the free new toilets in each neighborhood. As a result, numerous jobs were formed, the sense of community and awareness of the need to save water increased, and perhaps most importantly, allowed for the maintenance of the water consumption at a constant level.
Because water conservation and reclamation is such an important topic of discussion for the city of Los Angeles, intense funding for groundbreaking research on the subject is greatly supported. For example, the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), the world’s largest water purification system for potable reuse, utilizes a three-step advanced treatment process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide to transform highly treated wastewater into high-quality water that exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards. Instead of simply pumping this water back into the seawater intrusion barrier, Los Angeles seeks to utilize this water for landscaping purposes throughout the city, including usage by individuals. [4] This would, then, in turn create more green space with native trees and plants to absorb storm runoff and stave off pollution of the ocean and the region’s groundwater. In addition, the city of Los Angeles provides numerous opportunities for young individuals and budding scientists to explore this subject by hosting the State Science Fair competition annually at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. [5] Through the unique opportunity that this science fair competition presents, I was able to research an economical, efficient, and potable method of water purification through the use of adsorbents and was actually able to successfully remove various toxins and carcinogens from the three different matrices of water. Not only did this increase my awareness of the necessity to preserve and value this precious and limited resource, water, it stemmed a lifelong interest and passion for science related research, and I truly believe this further creates a much needed sense of community while encouraging young students to pursue careers in the sciences. In this way, we can guarantee that we will consistently have bright individuals guiding the policy and the research necessary to tackle the most pressing problems of our future.
The current system for supplying and delivering water to Los Angeles is extremely inefficient, and as a result, the Department of Water Services is the largest consumer of electricity in California. [1] In an effort to combat the fact that Los Angeles is situated within the most arid region in the state and curb its dependency upon purchasing and transporting water from the Colorado River or northern California, Los Angeles has a long history of water conservation and has placed a major emphasis upon water conservation and reclamation technologies. [2] This effort has paid off immensely, and Los Angeles has been able to withstand a 15% increase in the population while maintaining a consistent level of water consumption since the 1990s. [2]
Policy and legislation were instrumental in curbing and maintaining water consumption at a constant level. The Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 122.03 mandated the entire city utilize ultra-low flow toilets and showerheads, and this was a significant in conserving and maintaining water consumption because some of the older toilets used as much as 5 gallons with each flush while the ultra-low flow only use 1.6 gallons of water per flush. [3] In addition to the immense benefit of water conservation and awareness of the necessity to save this precious resource, the sense of community and pride increased because local nonprofit organizations provided and installed the free new toilets in each neighborhood. As a result, numerous jobs were formed, the sense of community and awareness of the need to save water increased, and perhaps most importantly, allowed for the maintenance of the water consumption at a constant level.
Because water conservation and reclamation is such an important topic of discussion for the city of Los Angeles, intense funding for groundbreaking research on the subject is greatly supported. For example, the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), the world’s largest water purification system for potable reuse, utilizes a three-step advanced treatment process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide to transform highly treated wastewater into high-quality water that exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards. Instead of simply pumping this water back into the seawater intrusion barrier, Los Angeles seeks to utilize this water for landscaping purposes throughout the city, including usage by individuals. [4] This would, then, in turn create more green space with native trees and plants to absorb storm runoff and stave off pollution of the ocean and the region’s groundwater. In addition, the city of Los Angeles provides numerous opportunities for young individuals and budding scientists to explore this subject by hosting the State Science Fair competition annually at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. [5] Through the unique opportunity that this science fair competition presents, I was able to research an economical, efficient, and potable method of water purification through the use of adsorbents and was actually able to successfully remove various toxins and carcinogens from the three different matrices of water. Not only did this increase my awareness of the necessity to preserve and value this precious and limited resource, water, it stemmed a lifelong interest and passion for science related research, and I truly believe this further creates a much needed sense of community while encouraging young students to pursue careers in the sciences. In this way, we can guarantee that we will consistently have bright individuals guiding the policy and the research necessary to tackle the most pressing problems of our future.
References
1. Cohen, Ronnie, Nelson, Barry, Wolff, Gary (August 2004). "Energy Down the Drain: The Hidden Costs of California's Water Supply." NRDC The Earth's Best Defense. Retrieved 2013-07-15. <http://www.nrdc.org/water/conservation/edrain/edrain.pdf>. 2. "Sustainable Building Initiative: An Action Plan for Advancing Sustainable Design Practices." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2013-07-15. <http://eng.lacity.org/projects/sdip/docs/SustainableBuildingInitiativ eActionPlanFinal043003.pdf>. 3. "Water Conservation: L.A. Municipal Code Sec. 122.03." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2013-07-18. <http://lalowflush.com/la.htm>. |
4. "GWRS: Groundwater Replenishment System." Orange County Water District. Retrieved 2013-07-15. <http://www.gwrsystem.com/about-gwrs.html>. 5. "California State Science Fair." California ScienCenter. Retrieved 2013-07-15. <http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/>. |