From Proof to Proven:
Journeys to Water Independence
From proof to proven:
Journeys to Water Independence
Driving progress towards a secure water future through innovation, teamwork, and community solutions
With the State of California Department of Water Resources estimating a 10% reduction in water supply by 2040 due to climate change, utilities across California need to act now to move towards water self-sufficiency and become less reliant on imported water. The journey to water independence can be daunting, unclear, or downright muddy. From developing new resilient water supplies and increasing local water resources to investing in desalination and other technologies, utilities are considering: “What is the right path to water independence?”
“If we look at the big regional picture, states like California, Arizona, and Nevada are all supposed to be taking less water out of the Colorado River in the future. So, the fewer straws now, the closer we are to water resiliency.”
–Adam Zacheis, Regional Practice Leader for Water Reuse
Learn how three utilities are making their dream of water independence a reality
1st
The City of Santa Monica’s infrastructure investments increased the water supply 65%, and boosted plant efficiency more than 90%.
100%
The City of Los Angeles is making big strides with the full-scale Hyperion Advanced Water Treatment Facility proof-of-concept.
$50M
The City of Camarillo transformed unusable brackish groundwater into a local source of drinking water and increased recycled water for agriculture, saving significant costs over 20 years.
COMING SOON
Meet the people who shaped the outcomes of these journeys
The dreams these utilities have achieved are no small feat. It takes courage to solve big challenges, innovate, and change the course of the future. Teamwork with the right blend of ingenuity and creativity paired with practical thinking leads to big breakthroughs. Community understanding and stakeholder input unlocks the best possible outcomes for generations to come. No two utilities capture and deliver water in the exact same way, and every project has a unique story of how they paved their own path to greater water independence.
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Andrew Lazenby saw the limited urban space for the water treatment site not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions by leveraging the latest technology.
Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis
Adam Zacheis conceptualized the flow reversal reverse osmosis process in the early stages of his career and applied similar RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology on Arcadia WTP decades later.
Dream Job
Fastrack your career: If you’re inspired and want to work with these teams on the next exciting project, check out these water recycling job oportunities.
Dream it, build it
Moving Los Angles one step closer to a more self-reliant water future with collaborative delivery. Whether you’re a project owner or contractor, work with a partner that helps you realize your vision.
Pipe dreams
From planning and building one of the world’s largest water recycling programs, you can make big dreams a reality. See how we’re helping Los Angeles achieve an abundant, sustainable, and accessible water future.
Private/Public Funding
Achieve your water independence goals through private/public funding resources. We work with private and municipal clients to reuse and replenish water, reducing water risks to operations and increasing freshwater availability. In most instances, these collaborations result in a positive, measurable impact on the community and watershed.
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Andrew Lazenby saw the limited urban space for the water treatment site not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions by leveraging the latest technology.
Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis
Adam Zacheis conceptualized the flow reversal reverse osmosis process in the early stages of his career and applied similar RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology on Arcadia WTP decades later.
Dream Job
Fastrack your career: If you’re inspired and want to work with these teams on the next exciting project, check out these water recycling job opportunities.
Dream it, build it
Moving Los Angles one step closer to a more self-reliant water future with collaborative delivery. Whether you’re a project owner or contractor, work with a partner that helps you realize your vision.
Pipe dreams
From planning and building one of the world’s largest water recycling programs, you can make big dreams a reality. See how we’re helping Los Angeles achieve an abundant, sustainable, and accessible water future.
Private/Public Funding
Achieve your water independence goals through private/public funding resources. We work with private and municipal clients to reuse and replenish water, reducing water risks to operations and increasing freshwater availability. In most instances, these collaborations result in a positive, measurable impact on the community and watershed.
Increased Water Supply with First U.S. FRRO Treatment Technology
Increased Water Supply with First
U.S. FRRO Treatment Technology
Arcadia Water Treatment Plant Expansion and Olympic Well Field Restoration
City of Santa Monica | Los Angeles County, CA
With the right team, anything is possible. Needing an immediate solution to reduce the City of Santa Monica’s reliance on imported water, develop sustainable water supplies, and increase groundwater production all during unprecedented working conditions in a pandemic; saying this was a challenging project is an understatement. With the odds stacked against them, the tenacious project team, including Walsh Construction, was committed to finding and delivering the best solution and innovate along the way. The finished $72 million Arcadia WTP expansion has increased treatment capacity with a novel high recovery reverse osmosis system, producing more finished drinking water with less waste being discharged to the sewer. A win-win for the City and the environment.
“It came down to the quantity of water that could be produced so the City didn’t have to buy as much imported water. We knew every extra percentage got the city closer to their goal.”
BC Senior Engineer
Chris Kindle
%
Increase in the City's Water Supply
%
Plant efficiency reached with Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis (FFRO)
%
Less reverse osmosis concentrate discharged into the sewer
Milestone met, enabling the City to meet water independence goal
About FRRO Technology
The City enhanced its current reverse osmosis system by incorporating the innovative Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis (FRRO) technology, a first of its kind in the United States. This innovation boosted production efficiency from 80% to 90% or higher, generating more high-quality drinking water using the same volume of raw groundwater and reducing overall groundwater demand.
INNOVATION
Pioneering FRRO pilot results leads to adoption
To get more treatment capacity, BC’s Project Manager, Adam Zacheis, led a team to pilot two technologies: Closed Circuit Reverse Osmosis (CCRO) and Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis (FRRO), each was evaluated on: operations and maintenance; online time; membrane replacement; and chemical consumption. He developed the concept of FRRO for a small water district in Southern California early in his engineering career. The process has evolved since then into an emerging reverse osmosis technology. Although, technology alone isn’t enough, because it’s critical in any plant expansion to get adoption from the team that will operate and maintain the finished project. Seeing the real-time data analytics dashboard showing the percentages increase of each treatment technology led to the City choosing FRRO.
“Over the course of the FRRO piloting, less frequent cleaning was required compared to the CCRO system. This was a testament to the FRRO technology, which reverses flow and rotates blocks of pressure vessels before scaling can take hold and decreases treatment efficiency.”
—BC Project Manager and Innovator, Adam Zacheis
TEAMWORK
Trust and quick-thinking enables operational continuity
As the design-build process kicked off, there were times when troubleshooting required team members to be immediately on site. During startup there was an issue with the chemical feed pumps, and Senior Engineer, Chris Kindle, met with the City’s mechanical engineer to determine that there was another injection pump that was providing too much pressure into the chemical feed system. They made recommendations for throttling that pump back with different valving and different piping arrangements to get the system to operate without shutting down. “The fast pace and problem-solving aspects of my job are what I like most about working on design-build projects,” said Kindle.
“I was the electrical engineer for the first expansion of the Arcadia plant 15 years ago. After working on this second expansion, I realize how much trust I had built over the years. Working with friends and people you have known for years positively influenced the outcomes of this second plant expansion.”
—BC Senior Engineer
Chris Kindle
COMMUNITY
Providing a new water source and peace of mind
As a part of the Arcadia WTP expansion to increase treatment capacity, the team also designed and built the new Olympic Advanced Water Treatment Facility (AWTF) to add a drinking water source to the plant and to protect public health by cleaning up the contaminated Olympic Well Field groundwater. The AWTF uses an UV-AOP with hydrogen peroxide treatment process followed by granular activated carbon for hydrogen peroxide quenching to treat before blending the flow within the Arcadia WTP. The expansion provided an additional 3,200 AFY of groundwater and gives the future community peace of mind knowing they are one step closer to a sustainable water source.
“The ratepayers of Santa Monica should be proud. The City leaders knew if they leveraged innovative technology and their existing assets, they could maximize water recovery at Arcadia WTP and make the city more water independent.”
—BC Senior Engineer
Chris Kindle
IMPACT
The final leap towards 100% water self-sufficiency
The Arcadia WTP Expansion is the last major project for the City that gets them closer to their 100% water self-sufficiency goal. The new AWTF taps into their groundwater from their Olympic Well Field, no longer needing to worry about water quality due to industrial contamination. City leadership saw the need to be more sustainable 30 years ago, and with these upgrades they are now at the forefront of deploying sustainable water infrastructure projects in Southern California.
“Santa Monica is innovative and always looking to the future. They are not stopping at this advanced water treatment facility. In fact, they are on the fast track to be one of the first DPR (Direct Potable Reuse) and hope to tie in all their facilities to provide as much reuse and self-sufficiency in the City as possible.”
—Design Manager, Kirstin Kale
Meet the people who shaped the outcomes of these journeys
The dreams these utilities have achieved are no small feat. It takes courage to solve big challenges, innovate, and change the course of the future. Teamwork with the right blend of ingenuity and creativity paired with practical thinking leads to big breakthroughs. Community understanding and stakeholder input unlocks the best possible outcomes for generations to come. No two utilities capture and deliver water in the exact same way, and every project has a unique story of how they paved their own path to greater water independence.
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Andrew Lazenby saw the limited urban space for the water treatment site not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions by leveraging the latest technology.
Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis
Adam Zacheis conceptualized the flow reversal reverse osmosis process in the early stages of his career and applied similar RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology on Arcadia WTP decades later.
Dream Job
Fastrack your career: If you’re inspired and want to work with these teams on the next exciting project, check out these water recycling job oportunities.
Dream it, build it
Moving Los Angles one step closer to a more self-reliant water future with collaborative delivery. Whether you’re a project owner or contractor, work with a partner that helps you realize your vision.
Pipe dreams
From planning and building one of the world’s largest water recycling programs, you can make big dreams a reality. See how we’re helping Los Angeles achieve an abundant, sustainable, and accessible water future.
Private/Public Funding
Achieve your water independence goals through private/public funding resources. We work with private and municipal clients to reuse and replenish water, reducing water risks to operations and increasing freshwater availability. In most instances, these collaborations result in a positive, measurable impact on the community and watershed.
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Andrew Lazenby saw the limited urban space for the water treatment site not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions by leveraging the latest technology.
Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis
Adam Zacheis conceptualized the flow reversal reverse osmosis process in the early stages of his career and applied similar RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology on Arcadia WTP decades later.
Dream Job
Fastrack your career: If you’re inspired and want to work with these teams on the next exciting project, check out these water recycling job opportunities.
Dream it, build it
Moving Los Angles one step closer to a more self-reliant water future with collaborative delivery. Whether you’re a project owner or contractor, work with a partner that helps you realize your vision.
Pipe dreams
From planning and building one of the world’s largest water recycling programs, you can make big dreams a reality. See how we’re helping Los Angeles achieve an abundant, sustainable, and accessible water future.
Private/Public Funding
Achieve your water independence goals through private/public funding resources. We work with private and municipal clients to reuse and replenish water, reducing water risks to operations and increasing freshwater availability. In most instances, these collaborations result in a positive, measurable impact on the community and watershed.
The keystone for a 100% water recycling future
The keystone for a 100% water recycling future
Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant Advanced Water Purification Facility Progressive Design-Build
City of Los Angeles / LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN) | Playa Del Rey, CA
The Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility (Hyperion AWPF) is more than a water treatment facility, it’s a symbol of the City of Los Angeles’ dedication to water security, a sustainable future, environmental protection, and public education about resource conservation.
The new facility will treat primary effluent from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant (HWRP) to produce a high-quality, advanced treated recycled water for various uses at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), including cooling tower make-up water, toilet flushing, irrigation, and other non-potable uses. The recycled water will also be used at HWRP to offset potable water demands in its industrial water system, as well as provide recycled water to existing internal infrastructure.
Often mistaken as a pilot project, the full-scale 1.5-mgd Hyperion AWPF project serves as a “proof of concept” towards the City’s ambitious goal of recycling 100% of LA’s wastewater at one of the largest water reclamation plants in the United States, the HWRP. The facility encompasses innovative solutions to address the challenges of urban water management, setting a precedent for cities worldwide.
“The water supply that we relied on for the last 100 years has changed. Due to climate change, the abundance of water and its frequency has transformed. We are no longer able to rely on what has worked in the past, so we must create our own future water supply.”
BC Vice President,
Steve Hirai
Hours for the Hyperion AWPF total treatment process at full capacity from primary effluent to proof-of concept, reuse ready
%
Reduced space for the Hyperion AWPF was not a barrier, but fueled more efficient, accessible, and creative solutions for the client
In savings through value engineering options and concepts with progressive-design build delivery method
Anticipation to turn on the Hyperion AWPF to pump recycled water to LAX for toilet flushing, cooling towers, and more
Innovative design at the Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
With 30% less space to work within than originally planned, the BC team needed to get creative in fitting all the necessary equipment for the treatment process. We spent significant time listening and incorporating preferences from the operations and engineering staff, making the facility more efficient and user-friendly in the day-to-day. The innovative components include:
- Treatment process equipment location
- Operating equipment accessibility
- Post-treatment technology
- MBR basins depth
- Advanced Treatment Building design
INNOVATION
Transforming constraints into opportunities
Hyperion AWPF’s design incorporates advanced treatment processes, including membrane bioreactors (MBR), reverse osmosis (RO), and ultraviolet advanced oxidation (UV-AOP), however, what sets it apart is the scale of AWPF’s operations and its integration within the existing infrastructure.
Innovation was achieved through how we applied and fit the technology within the site constraints; and how we designed some of the ancillary areas specific to the City’s project needs, preferences, and their vision.
The Hyperion AWPF informs future planning and design decisions that will help reduce cost, save time, and give the City/LASAN the confidence in operational decisions that they make. The treatment process may evolve in the future Hyperion facility investment, but the Hyperion AWPF gives LASAN staff a unique opportunity to enhance operational experience with advanced treatment technologies.
“Every site has unique challenges, but it’s the Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility constraints that spurred innovation. When we found out that we had 30% less space to work with, we saw limitations of space not as a barrier, but an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions that maintain Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment (LASAN’s) vision.”
—BC Senior Principal and Environmental Engineer,
Linda Sawyer
TEAMWORK
Upfront collaboration for accelerated project execution
This was LASAN’s first progressive design-build (PDB) delivery project, bringing a level of collaboration with LASAN and contractor partner, Walsh Construction, early in the project through the 70% design phase. This provided LASAN the opportunity to give their input, help with decisions, and incorporate their preferences into the design so that by the time the design was finished, and construction had started, there were no surprises.
The team facilitated workshops and collaborated directly with plant management, engineering, and operations staff, resulting in better accessibility to equipment. The team was able to vet multiple ideas with Walsh Construction, which was valuable as they helped confirm constructability in the workshops. Finally, the team conducted manufacturer preselection for major process equipment to help inform and streamline the remaining design process—ultimately landing on what has been designed and built.
“Using the PDB delivery method allowed the City to be involved all the way through, giving them the ability to make key decisions so there weren’t any surprises. LASAN’s input and operations preferences were incorporated into the design and our collaborative workshop approach provided insights into advanced treatment process options and equipment preselection.”
—BC Senior Director and Project Manager, Andrew Lazenby
COMMUNITY
Designed to connect with the public, next generation
The original concept design for the Hyperion AWPF planned to integrate a warehouse-type enclosure, but the vision for the building evolved into a one-of-a-kind visitor-friendly facility. The team worked closely with the architect, David Crawford, to develop aesthetic and educational features, including a multi-purpose facility to enclose and protect the advanced treatment processes, an outdoor gathering area, and a planned water feature. BC also designed educational signage throughout the facility for tours, which will help educate the general public, students, and professionals on the benefits of the City’s future plans for the HWRP. Signage installation will commence soon.
With the AWPF building now complete, tour groups see a roof structure reminiscent of an ocean wave along with an open, bright interior that showcases the RO and UV-AOP, and a fully accessible terrace deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the future Hyperion concept.
“The building is all inclusive, multi-purpose and we are all proud of its evolution,” Andrew said, “The City invested in the building with a vision to configure it for tours, and it is now paying dividends with hosting tour groups. Educating the public, our next generation of leaders and attracting more people to our water/wastewater industry—it’s important to connect with the community and help promote the importance of a One Water future.”
—BC Senior Director and Project Manager, Andrew Lazenby
IMPACT
Turning wastewater into a water supply
The City is looking forward rather than being reactive. The Hyperion AWPF is setting up the future of converting the HWRP capacity for reuse, with the intent of every drop of purified water produced at the AWPF replacing an equivalent drop of potable water that needs to be imported.
The Hyperion AWPF is a small, but mighty link to the City’s multi-billion dollar future investment. The technologies may evolve in the future, but the AWPF provides operators the chance to learn and optimize how to efficiently integrate advanced treatment at the HWRP. It will inform future design decisions that will benefit the environment, water supply, and provide an opportunity for community education and workforce engagement.
“Ultimately, it’s proving that we could recycle all the wastewater Los Angeles is producing to use it as a water supply with the goal of recycling 100% of the water that we’ve already imported and used and putting it back into our water cycle.”
—BC Vice President, Steve Hirai
Meet the people who shaped the outcomes of these journeys
The dreams these utilities have achieved are no small feat. It takes courage to solve big challenges, innovate, and change the course of the future. Teamwork with the right blend of ingenuity and creativity paired with practical thinking leads to big breakthroughs. Community understanding and stakeholder input unlocks the best possible outcomes for generations to come. No two utilities capture and deliver water in the exact same way, and every project has a unique story of how they paved their own path to greater water independence.
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Andrew Lazenby saw the limited urban space for the water treatment site not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions by leveraging the latest technology.
Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis
Adam Zacheis conceptualized the flow reversal reverse osmosis process in the early stages of his career and applied similar RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology on Arcadia WTP decades later.
Dream Job
Fastrack your career: If you’re inspired and want to work with these teams on the next exciting project, check out these water recycling job oportunities.
Dream it, build it
Moving Los Angles one step closer to a more self-reliant water future with collaborative delivery. Whether you’re a project owner or contractor, work with a partner that helps you realize your vision.
Pipe dreams
From planning and building one of the world’s largest water recycling programs, you can make big dreams a reality. See how we’re helping Los Angeles achieve an abundant, sustainable, and accessible water future.
Private/Public Funding
Achieve your water independence goals through private/public funding resources. We work with private and municipal clients to reuse and replenish water, reducing water risks to operations and increasing freshwater availability. In most instances, these collaborations result in a positive, measurable impact on the community and watershed.
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Andrew Lazenby saw the limited urban space for the water treatment site not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to develop more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions by leveraging the latest technology.
Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis
Adam Zacheis conceptualized the flow reversal reverse osmosis process in the early stages of his career and applied similar RO (Reverse Osmosis) technology on Arcadia WTP decades later.
Dream Job
Fastrack your career: If you’re inspired and want to work with these teams on the next exciting project, check out these water recycling job opportunities.
Dream it, build it
Moving Los Angles one step closer to a more self-reliant water future with collaborative delivery. Whether you’re a project owner or contractor, work with a partner that helps you realize your vision.
Pipe dreams
From planning and building one of the world’s largest water recycling programs, you can make big dreams a reality. See how we’re helping Los Angeles achieve an abundant, sustainable, and accessible water future.
Private/Public Funding
Achieve your water independence goals through private/public funding resources. We work with private and municipal clients to reuse and replenish water, reducing water risks to operations and increasing freshwater availability. In most instances, these collaborations result in a positive, measurable impact on the community and watershed.