Following case study was extracted from published WaterRF report titled Effects of Climate

Change on Water Utility Planning Criteria and Design Standards (Order# 4154)

LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER

Utility Overview

Description of Utility

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is a retail water and
electricity provider located in Los Angeles, California. LADWP services approximately 713,000
water connections with a typical delivery of approximately 660,500 acre-feet per year (as of CY
2007) with an average per capita use of 141 gallons per person per day. The majority of
LADWPs customers are residential (66%) with single-family (38%) and multi-family (29%),
followed by commercial/industrial (20%), non-revenue water (7%), and municipal (6%). Figure
1 details the LADWP service area.































Figure 1 LADWP water service area
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LADWP drinking water supplies come from imports (88%), local groundwater (11%),
and recycled water (1%). LADWP owns and operates the Los Angeles Aqueduct (LAA), which
provides approximately 35% of the departments imported supplies. The LAA extends
approximately 340 miles from the Mono Basin to Los Angeles. There are eight reservoirs
(including the terminal Los Angeles reservoir) with a combined storage capacity of 300,560
acre-feet and 12 hydroelectric power generation facilities along the LAA that can generate up to
250 megawatts (Figure 2).


Figure 2 LADWPs Los Angeles aqueduct system

LAA water originates from snowmelt runoff from the Eastern Sierras in the late spring
and summer, after most of the years precipitation has already occurred and is conveyed the
entire distance by gravity alone. From 1970 through 1993, LAA deliveries supplied
approximately 65 percent of the Citys total water supply. In 1994, LADWP began its
environmental enhancement and mitigation efforts in the Mono Basin and Owens Valley,
resulting in a reduction of LAA deliveries to the City. Currently, the LAA delivers
approximately 35 percent of the Citys water supply. LADWP anticipates that LAA supplies
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will be at this level for the foreseeable future as environmental commitments and the potential
impacts from climate change to cumulatively reduce deliveries from the LAA.
LADWP, on average, purchases approximately 53% of its water from Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California (MWD), which delivers water via the California State
Water Project (SWP) and the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA), to supplement its own imported
and local supplies. MWDs service area includes the Southern California coastal plain. The
quantity of water bought from MWD varies yearly and depends on LAA deliveries and the
availability of other sources. LADWP does however have a take or pay contract with
Metropolitan through a purchase order for a fixed amount of water priced at Metropolitans
less expensive Tier 1 rate. The amount of water that LADWP can purchase in any one year
under the purchase order was determined by each member agencys base year amount as
defined by LADWPs highest fiscal year purchase of firm supplies from Metropolitan between
fiscal year 1989/90 and 2001/02. Under the purchase order, agencies can vary its purchase
amounts from year to year; however, if the member agency does not meet its minimum
commitment during the ten years, it is still obligated to pay for the full purchase order. Under the
terms of its current purchase order, LADWP can purchase a maximum of 304,970 acre-feet in
any one year and has committed to purchasing 2,033,132 acre-feet of supplies by December 31,
2014. LADWP major sources of water are shown on Figure 3.


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Figure 3 Major sources of water for LADWP

Other sources of water supply include local groundwater. The City of Los Angeles owns
water rights in three Upper Los Angeles River Area groundwater basins: San Fernando, Sylmar,
and Eagle Rock as well as Central and West Coast Basins. However, localized water quality
issues have impacted the exercise of LADWPs water rights in the West Coast Basin and the San
Fernando Basin. LADWP is currently undertaking a Groundwater System Improvement Study
for the San Fernando Basin which provides over 80 percent of the Citys groundwater supplies.
Recycled water is also a water supply source for LADWP. The Citys Department of
Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation is responsible for the planning and operation of the
wastewater program, which is the source of recycled water. As of 2005, almost 65,000 AFY of
the Citys wastewater is recycled. Approximately 4,500 AFY of recycled water is used for
municipal and industrial (M&I) purposes to reduce demands for imported water. The City of
Los Angeles Water Supply Action Plan indicates that the City plans to increase its M&I recycled
water use to at least 50,000 AFY by 2019.
LAA water is treated by the Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant. The plant was built
in 1986 and can treat 600 million gallon daily. It uses ozonation and rapid rate deep bed
filtration as treatment processes. In addition, fluoridation was added to the plant. LADWP is
evaluating enhanced coagulation as a pilot to remove arsenic. LADWP is converting to
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chloramine treatments for disinfection prior to distribution. LADWP is replacing chlorine by
chloramines as a disinfectant because chloramines form less disinfection by-products. LADWP
monitors its local groundwater supply from the production wells for all contaminants before it
enters the distribution system. If water quality problems are detected, groundwater supply is
isolated and retested. Treated water available for distribution is stored in LADWPs 100 in-city
reservoirs and storage tanks.

Organizational Structure

LADWP is a revenue-generating department of the City of Los Angeles. LADWPs
budget and policies are approved by a five-member Board of Water and Power Commissioners.
The Board members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council for five-year
terms. LADWP's water operations are financed solely by the sale of water services. Capital
funds are raised through the sale of bonds.

Review of Current Planning Documents and Design Standards

The following paragraphs summarize Los Angeles Department of Water & Powers
(LADWP) current planning criteria and design standards for sizing of facilities (including
conveyance, treatment, pumping, pipelines, and storage), based on the review of select utility
documents.

Water Supply Reliability and Water Demand Projections

LADWPs water planning processes (water supply reliability and water demand
projections) are detailed in the departments 2005 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). In
the midst of climate change, local groundwater contamination, diminishing snowpack in the
Eastern Sierra, potential regional water allocations, and drought, the Los Angeles Mayor and
LADWP published the City of Los Angeles Water Supply Action Plan (WSAP) titled Securing
L.A.s Water Supply in May 2008. It clearly refines the City of L.A.s long-term water supply
policy that is to sustain a reliable supply of water while meeting current and future demand. With
the WSAP, LADWP seeks to maintain water supply reliability through conservation and local
resource development. More details on the 2005 UWMP and 2008 WSAP are included in the
Climate Change Approach section below.

Sizing of Facilities (conveyance, treatment, pumping, pipelines, and treated water storage)

LADWP prepared design guidelines for their gravity and pumping systems in 1997,
which are used for sizing new distribution facilities and determining the capacity of existing
facilities to meet projected demands. These criteria are intended to provide operational
flexibility to respond to both planned and emergency system outages. LADWP notes that these
criteria may be modified, however this decision should be based on professional judgment and
cost-benefit analyses.

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Conveyance

LADWP has developed fire flow requirements to meet a minimum 20-psi residual
pressure during ultimate peak hour (Table 1).

Table 1
Fire flow requirements
Zoning/ Land
Development Type
Max Hydrant
Spacing (feet)
Continuous Mains
Minimum Fire Flow
Dead End Mains
Minimum Fire Flow
Low Density
Residential
600 2000 gpm from 3 adjacent
hydrants flowing
simultaneous (1000 gpm
from most critical hydrant)
1500 gpm from last 2
hydrants (500 gpm
from last hydrant)
High Density
Residential & Limited
Commercial
300 600 4000 gpm from 4 adjacent
hydrants flowing
simultaneous (1000 gpm
from most critical hydrant)
2000 gpm from last 2
hydrants (750 gpm
from last hydrant)
Commercial & Light
Industrial
300

6000 9000 gpm from 4-6
adjacent hydrants flowing
simultaneous (1500 gpm
from most critical hydrant)
3000 gpm from last 2
hydrants (1000 gpm
from last hydrant)
Commercial
Manufacturing &
Heavy Industrial
300

12,000 gpm available to any
block
12,000 gpm available
to any block

LADWP has also established emergency requirements for the design of their water
system facilities (Table 2).

Table 2
Emergency requirements for water system facility design
Condition
Min Pressure
(psi)
Time
Normal (Res/ Comm/Ind) 43 Ultimate Peak-Hour (UPH)
Fire Gravity 20 UPH
Pump
20
Ultimate Max Demand (UMD) 6 critical
hours
Emergency (first
24 hours)
Gravity
Positive pressure
Service Zone: UPH
Large System: Ultimate Typical Summer
Day (UTSD)
Pump
20
UTSD 6 critical hours with fire flow,
4 hours if more than 1 power source

For the sizing of trunk lines and supply mains, LADWP allows a maximum headloss
during peak hour of 3 ft per 1000 ft length. The rule of thumb for these lines is that the diameter
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= 6 x (Maximum Day Demand in cfs)^
1/2
. Distribution mains are sized for 5-7 ft of headloss per
1000 ft length during ultimate peak hour.

Pumping

Pumping capacity should be sufficient to supply ultimate max-day demand plus
requirements for other systems supplied. Typical pump stations have 2-4 operating units, a
standby unit, and emergency unit. Total operating capacity must supply at least 115% of the
systems residential ultimate max-day demand plus the 24-hour average of all other system
demands including fire flow. An initial pump station sizing estimate of 200 square-feet per
pump unit is used to approximate space for pumps 50 HP or less, with no more than 3 units.

Storage

LADWP has developed preliminary guidelines to be used for storage sizing purposes,
however actual storage volumes are based on detailed analysis of the area being served
(hydrographs, emergency outage scenarios, backup supplies) (Table 3).

Table 3
Storage volumes









Emergency storage in daily regulatory reservoirs is equal to:

2-7 days of ultimate maximum week demand
3-12 days of ultimate mean-annual demand OR-
6-20 days of ultimate winter time demand

Total storage for LADWPs facilities is equal to emergency storage plus regulatory
storage. Regulatory storage is 100,000 gallons per cfs of ultimate maximum daily demand.
Emergency storage is 540,000 gallons or 100,000 gallons per cfs of ultimate maximum day
demand, whichever is greater. From a practical standpoint, the smallest tank proposed is
typically 1 million gallons, although smaller tanks may be acceptable for specific site restrictions
and demand requirements. Tank elevation is designed to be a minimum of 100 feet (125
preferred) above the highest elevation served.
Final design of facilities is confirmed using hydraulic modeling. LADWP defines the
critical design period as typical summer day demand (65-70% maximum day demand), critical 6-
hour 35% daily consumption, critical 4-hour 30% daily consumption.

Period (Ultimate) Regulatory Storage per cfs Demand
Maximum Day 0.22 MG
Maximum Week 0.44 MG
Maximum Month 1.32 MG
Maximum 4 Months 4.0 MG
Annual 20 MG
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Treatment

LADWPs design guidelines also address the water quality implications of a proposed
design. Concerns such as disinfection by-product potential, disinfection contact time, and future
drinking water regulations are factored into their facility design decisions. LADWP currently
meets all the disinfection by-product standards and is in the process of switching from chlorine
to chloramines to maintain water disinfectant residual, which will further reduce levels of total
trihalomethanes. LADWP is also in compliance with the Surface Water Treatment Rule for
through the design and construction of facilities to provide only filtered water from their
reservoirs.

AWWA Standards

LADWP uses applicable AWWA standards as appropriate to support design decisions.

Climate Change Approach

Policy

The basic policy principles that guide LADWPs water planning process are detailed in
the departments 2005 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). The UWMP is updated every
five years pursuant to the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act). The Act requires urban
water suppliers to prepare plans that describe and evaluate reasonable and practical efficient
water uses, recycling, and conservation activities. LADWPs 2005 UWMP defines policies for
water resources and water planning, such as water demand, water conservation, integrated
resources planning, water supply reliability, and alternative water supply.
In the midst of climate change, local groundwater contamination, diminishing snowpack
in the Eastern Sierra, potential regional water allocations, and drought, the Los Angeles Mayor
and LADWP published the City of Los Angeles Water Supply Action Plan (WSAP) titled
Securing L.A.s Water Supply in May 2008. The WSAP is a blueprint for creating sustainable
sources of water for the future of Los Angeles. It clearly refines the City of L.A.s long-term
water supply policy that is to sustain a reliable supply of water while meeting current and future
demand. Under the WSAP, the City will not rely on new imported water sources, but instead will
engage in developing alternative water supplies through the implementation of both short-term
and long-term strategies. With the WSAP, LADWP seeks to maintain water supply reliability
through conservation and local resource development.
The LADWP has been a Charter Member of the California Climate Action Registry since
September 2002. Los Angeles is also a signatory to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement along with more than 900 US mayors. The GHG emissions reduction strategy is
primarily focused on the power system of LADWP, since electricity generation is a significant
source of direct GHG emissions. Since 1998, with the divestiture of Colstrip and Deseret coal
contracts and shutdown of Mohave Generating Station at the end of 2005, the LADWP has taken
steps to move away from dependence on coal resources, including discontinuation of its
involvement in the development of Unit 3 at Intermountain Generating Station. The LADWP is
undergoing a utility-wide transformation in how it supplies, transmits, delivers and uses
electricity. In 2007, the City of Los Angeles unveiled its Green LA Plan, an aggressive plan
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for reducing the Citys overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels to 35% below 1990 levels
by 2030, of which the LADWP plays a lead role through its renewables, energy
efficiency/demand side management programs, tiered customer rates, green building/LEED
incentives that complement the Citys Green Building Ordinance, and water management
programs. The utility is taking immediate action now, not in 2012, to reduce its emissions.
Accordingly, LADWP has established an aggressive goal of developing and owning new
renewable generation to meet its 20% by 2010 mandate and 35% by 2020 Renewables Portfolio
Standard (RPS) mandate. Since 2005, LADWP has increased its renewable energy mix from 3%
to 10% in fall 2008. LADWP has identified the need for new staff to work on climate change.
LADWP is in the process of hiring an employee that will be dedicated to working on GHG
mitigation and adaptation for their water section.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, also commonly known and
referred to as Assembly Bill 32, requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt a
Scoping Plan by January 1, 2009 to provide a framework for implementing the aggressive
emission reduction goal of achieving 1990 statewide emission levels by 2020. The ARB adopted
the Scoping Plan on December 11, 2008. This plan includes emission reduction measures for the
water sector, including water use efficiency, water recycling, water system energy efficiency,
reuse of urban runoff, and increase renewable energy production. Additionally, the Scoping Plan
proposes a public goods charge for water. The LADWP will monitor the regulatory
developments over the next 24 months, including establishment of the public goods charge and
use of collected revenues to ensure that revenues collected support LADWPs GHG strategies
related to the water system and used directly within our service territory.
LADWP, in collaboration with the Department of Public Works, the Bureau of
Sanitation, public stakeholders, and other agencies, has developed an Integrated Resources Plan
(IRP). This IRP uses an approach of technical integration and community involvement to guide
water resources policy decisions and facilities planning. The IRP discusses alternatives that the
City could implement that would provide water supply benefits, along with other benefits such as
protection of the environmental by reducing pollutants going into ocean and rivers, creation of
more open space, flood control, and improving the overall quality of life for the citizens of Los
Angeles. LADWP is currently working with other Citys department on more aggressive actions
towards efficient landscaping. The City of Los Angeles is also in the process of discussing the
development of new policies with other Citys departments, the Bureau of Sanitation, and other
cities on state-of-the-art water conservation.
The LADWP Board of Commissioners sets the billing rates subject to approval of the Los
Angeles City Council by ordinance. Through their tiered rate structure, LADWP has secured
funding mechanisms for water conservation and recycling and has incorporated climate zonings.
Additionally, LADWP charges new developments through a connection fee when broadening
their recycling water system.
One of LADWPs main vulnerabilities is the observed and predicted decrease in run-off
from the Eastern Sierras. However, creating and adopting policies to address this concern will
require greater understanding regarding particular uncertainties associated with climate change
predictions. Ultimately, LADWP is interested in addressing these vulnerabilities to better
understand the magnitude and gravity of source impacts and develop and invest in the most
judicious and needed policies.

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Planning

Planning at LADWP is concerned with a long-term commitment to water use efficiency
and the environment while providing a safe, reliable, and affordable water supply to their
customers. It focuses on forecasting future water demand, and evaluating current supply capacity
and the need for future new supply sources and water rights. This section covers LADWPs
vulnerability assessment as it relates to planning, planning criteria assessment (with a focus on
impacts and uncertainties) and adaptive strategies to incorporate climate change into planning.
Climate change studies indicate that a wide range of impacts could potentially affect the
water utilitys planning function, and more precisely, water demand and water supply. LADWP
anticipates reduced run-off, changes in snowmelt timing, reduced recharge, greater flood peaks,
increased demand, temperature extremes, poor water quality, sea level rise, and ecological
impacts having the greatest impact on their long range water supply planning criteria due to
climate change.
Water Demand Forecasting. Water demand forecasting at LADWP is conducted in-
house. LADWP expects that actual demand (indoors and outdoors [mainly irrigation]) would
increase with increasing atmospheric temperature. LADWP forecasts water demand based on
historical trends in billing data, projections of water conservation, and projections of
demographics provided by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The
demographic projections used in LADWPs demand planning for the 2005 UWMP were
obtained from the SCAG 2004 Regional Transportation Plan and were modified using MWDs
land planning tool to represent LADWPs service area. The current demand forecasting approach
uses demographic projections and integrates variable parameters, such as temperatures and
precipitations. As climate change needs to be considered further, LADWP anticipates changes to
its demand planning modeling such as including economic projections and changing current
model assumptions. Projected water demands through 2030 from LADWPs 2005 UWMP are
shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 Projected water demands through 2030

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Water Supply Planning. LADWPs major water supply sources include imported water
from the LAA, local groundwater, and supplemental water purchased from MWD. Recycled
water for irrigation and industrial purposes constitutes a minor water supply source but is
progressing. LADWP currently uses the 5-year update cycle for short-term planning efforts that
is required under the UWMP, which is mandatory in California. LADWP has not done a recent
assessment of its existing water supply planning criteria that may be susceptible to the impacts of
climate change. LADWP plans to evaluate its water resources planning efforts on a continual
basis to take into account changing conditions and the dynamic water supply situation that
impacts the Citys water supplies.
LADWP uses various hydrologic data (snowpack, rainfall, storage, etc.) to forecast their
imported water supplies. Forecasts are typically done with exceedance levels to reflect
uncertainty of future precipitation events. LADWPs historical record of hydrology used for
planning purposes is approximately 75 years. One of LADWPs goals for their long-term water
supply planning is to create near-term reliability which will also serve as a measure for climate
adaptation. LADWPs UWMP assesses service area reliability under three hydrologic
conditions: average (or normal weather), single dry year (such as a repeat of the 1976-77
drought), and multi-year drought (such as a repeat of the 1987-92 drought). Under these
scenarios for the 25 year projection period, LADWPs supply is expected to be reliable, with
adequate supplies available to meet projected demands. Under dry weather conditions, water
demands are expected to be approximately 5 percent greater than in normal years. In a 2030 dry
year scenario, the percentage of supply from the LA Aqueduct is expected to decrease from 31%
of the total supply to 10% of the total supply. MWD imported supplies are expected to cover
this difference. In case of severe drought, LADWP will purchase more water from MWD and
will pass the charge on to customers.
LADWP uses the States water supply planning standards, outlined in Urban Water
Management Planning guidelines, with a typical planning horizon of 25 years for water
resources, which is five years longer than required, but commonly used for water and land use
planning purposes. The LADWP typically uses a 100-year life-cycle planning horizon for major
pipelines and storage facilities. System operations require a one-year planning horizon. Every
year, LADWP holds an in-house water supply symposium during which the operating criteria are
determined. Annual LAA operations are largely driven by its delivery capacity dependent upon
yearly snowpack from the Eastern Sierras, by the limited quantity of groundwater available to
pump (due to the contamination on the San Fernando Valley), and by conjunctive use
opportunities. Based on these estimated operation criteria, LADWP is able to estimate additional
water purchases from MWD to sustain reliability. The LAA delivery is vulnerable to climate
change as it highly depends on the snowpack quantity in the Eastern Sierras. LADWP is faced
with the challenge to accurately predict the effects of climate change to their operations. To
better understand the potential impacts of climate change, LADWP will undertake an evaluation
study on potential impacts to the LAA, as well as locally.
The limited LAA storage capacity does not allow the system to store large water volume
from greater flow peaks from potential early run-off or intense storm events. Predicted earlier
run off from climate change may result in limited supply availability through the summer
months, while water spillage/loss may occur during intense storm events. LADWP sees water
loss of most concern because it constitutes a loss of economical value. Spillage can also be of
concern to the ecosystems and habitat surrounding the LAA (e.g., Owens Lake).
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LADWP is also concerned there is a potential impact to Bay-Delta fisheries due to
climate change, which may limit the availability of supply to MWD. Changes in the natural
watershed, waterways, and biota (ex. Algal balance, spikes in turbidity in raw water, and the
presence of non-native invasive species, such as Quagga Mussels) are current water quality
impacts LADWP believes may be associated with climate change. LADWP is also bound to
environmental enhancement and restoration projects along the LAA, which result in reductions
in LAA deliveries. Deterioration of water supply quality and environmental restoration projects
may further impact LADWPs water supply availability.
Planning Criteria Adaptation Strategies. The 2005 UWMP indicates that climate
change may impact LADWPs surface water supplies from the Los Angeles Aqueduct and
MWD. The UWMP states that although science has not yet determined definitive impacts on
these supplies, most scientists believe that climate change would impact timing of precipitation
for the West. LADWP will continue to monitor climate change research, especially related to the
Eastern Sierras, and will study potential actions to adapt to future changing conditions.
LADWPs biggest opportunities to incorporate climate change into their planning
practice reside in outlining the LAA operational impacts and understanding the climate change
impacts to the Eastern Sierra snowpack to meet near-term reliability. While a policy would be
most certainly needed to implement these changes, LADWP is developing adaptive strategies.
In response to substantial variability and reliability concerns of surface water supplies
from LAA and MWD as a result of climate change, LADWP plans to expand its existing supply
source and diversify its sources without increasing reliance on imported sources. To increase the
reliability of their system, LADWP is considering alternative supplies, such as water transfers,
increased water recycling, storm water capture and beneficial reuse of urban runoff (dry weather
and wet weather options), enhanced local groundwater basin production (routine groundwater
monitoring, conjunctive use, groundwater recharge through the use of spreading grounds,
groundwater storage, San Fernando Groundwater Basin clean-up acceleration). Desalination is
also a potential new supply, but it is not currently the focus of LADWPs planning efforts. Some
of these alternative supplies are included in the IRP, where LADWP examines ways to decrease
potable water needs by expanding the Citys recycled water program and encouraging rainwater
harvesting, increasing water efficiency by installing smart irrigation devices that reduce
irrigation demands, and increasing groundwater resources by using wet weather runoff to
recharge the aquifer. Additional management programs are being developed such as conservation
and pricing.
LADWP has achieved significant success in water conservation. In the 2005 UWMP, the
City increased its conservation goal to a 20 percent reduction to lessen its reliance on imported
water and provide a drought-proof resource. Moreover, LADWP is currently participating in
cooperative efforts to increase supplies through the Greater Los Angeles Integrated Regional
Water Management Planning process. Another adaptation measure for LADWPs long-term
water supply planning consists of integrating climate change in their demand and supply
forecast.
To address greater flow peaks and potential consequent spillage, LADWP is exploring a
program for enhanced maintenance of the LAA (i.e., debris clearing), expansion of the LAA
areas that are congested or spillage-prone, and development of watershed management programs.
Further adaptation strategies related to ecosystems will be discussed in the Watershed and
Environmental Regulatory section.
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While the implementation of the aforementioned strategies are not driven solely by
climate change, LADWP plans to perform a study to evaluate and develop proposed adaptation
measures to address climate change impacts to the LAA. The request for proposal was issued
mid-2008. The scope of work is to review and evaluate existing studies, reports and literature on
climate change analyses; climate models, and specific climate change scenarios relevant to the
eastern Sierra Nevada; use climate scenarios and downscaling to evaluate impacts on the LAA
watershed; analyze impacts to LAA operations; provide adaptation measures, especially
groundwater storage at specific aquifer sites; and examine water quality implications of climate
change on water delivered from the LAA and recommend potential changes to operations and
treatment. This study is expected to be published by the end of 2010. LADWP, in collaboration
with other City departments, is also working with the University of California - Los Angeles on a
downscaling GCM study for the geographic boundaries of the City of LA. LADWP is
particularly interested in investigating the climate change impacts on demands, groundwater
contaminants, and maybe the potential groundwater recharge.

Design

The design criteria referred to in this section are used for sizing of conveyance, treatment,
pumping, pipeline, and storage facilities. The following details have been obtained from case
study discussions and survey results from LADWP.
Design Criteria. Generally, LADWP relies on USEPA, State of California, and the City
of Los Angeles guidance documents and regulations for their facility designs. Design of facilities
at LADWP is driven by water quality regulations. Design is mostly done in-house. However,
LADWP has started to use peer reviews or value engineering on their design projects, but the
decision of using these processes was not driven by climate change effects.
Currently, LADWP has not performed an assessment of climate change impacts on their
design criteria and climate change is not a focus of their design practices. LADWP indicated that
reduced run-off, change in snowmelt, recharge, greater flood flows, and corrosion are significant
factors that could impact their design standards for facilities. LADWP currently believes that the
impacts of climate change may result in modifications of the design standards earlier than
anticipated. Also, LADWPs water demand standards, such as peaking factors and facility sizing,
may be impacted. LADWP does not believe that the increased volatility and magnitude
associated with climate conditions will have an impact on design standards in the near term.
LADWP uses different planning horizons depending on the type of facility. Typically, a 100-
year life cycle planning horizon is used for major pipelines and storage facilities. LADWP is not
currently considering climate change in the planning process for their capital projects, although it
would be considered if climate change impacts were more certain. However, LADWP does focus
on low-impact buildings, as LEED buildings as a normal course of business under the Citys
larger sustainability initiatives.
LADWP indicated one of their main vulnerabilities to be the lack of storage along the
LAA. It is of most concern in case of early run-off and extreme storm events, as it may result in
flooding/spilling. The consequences of spilling from LAA are a loss in ability to transfer water
and, hence, an added expense. Consequently, a significant risk from the lack of water storage is
oversizing and overbuilding facilities. Further, the need for additional storage space may result in
a change how to design facilities as water will be transferred and consumed faster, without the
capability to spread it, resulting in higher costs.
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LADWP also anticipates that climate change may result in higher capital and operational costs
for their facilities. In addition, longer operation cycles may expose greater defects of materials
and equipment, more frequent replacement of materials and equipment, and more chemicals for
treatment may be needed.
Consequences for Water Quality. No formal assessment has been performed on climate
change impacts on water quality. LADWP has specific concerns over temperature extremes, poor
water quality, and sea level rise on the impacts on water quality related design standards.
Reduced run-off, change in snowmelt, greater flood peaks, and increased erosion are more
secondary.
LADWP needs to comply with the USEPA and States water quality standards. LADWP
is concerned with the possible need to comply with more standards because of climate change
impacts, generating larger decision-making instead of smaller changes. LADWP is also
concerned with water quality in their storage tanks. With higher water temperatures, chloramines
may result in additional nitrification in summers. Also, LADWP believes that changes in natural
watersheds, waterways, biota and the presence of non-native invasive species, such as Quagga
mussels may be associated with climate change.
Design Adaptation Strategies. LADWPs climate change adaptation needs for their
design practices are varied. LADWP sees their biggest opportunities to incorporate climate
change into their design practices in Eastern Sierra watershed management, planning for the dry
years, justifying the design to match potential demand, and gaining support of the community for
future designs. LADWP believes that design flood and material allowed would all be moderately
impacted by climate change.
To further enhance their compliance with the Surface Water Treatment Rule, LADWPs
nine out of 15 open distribution reservoirs containing treated water have been bypassed, replaced
by tanks, taken off-line, or protected with floating covers. Specific operations for some of the
reservoirs, such as microfiltration and/or disinfection stations, were taken at some reservoirs to
treat reservoir water and achieve compliance. Improvements are underway to comply with the
six remaining open reservoirs in the future. LADWP believes the deterioration of water quality
in its reservoirs can be addressed by adding mixers to aerate and release water at different ages.
If state health requirements or design standards change due to warmer atmospheric temperatures,
LADWP foresees the potential need to add more mixers, decrease the size of reservoirs, add
more reservoirs, increase the storage capacity of the LAA, and optimize reservoir space
management.
While the implementation of the aforementioned adaptation strategies are not driven
solely by climate change, LADWP is interested in future research on water quality and especially
the possible need to change disinfection chemicals if current ones are deemed less effective in
future years. LADWP also feels that regulatory support would be necessary to implement these
changes in design practices and ease adaptation to climate change.
Watershed and Environmental

Watershed protection and environmental regulatory functions at LADWP could also be
vulnerable to climate change. This section covers potential climate change impacts on
LADWPs watershed and environmental requirements and adaptive strategies to incorporate
climate change into watershed and environmental areas.
15

Watershed Protection and Environmental Regulatory Functions. LADWP expressed
concern over climate vulnerabilities with respect to the limited amount of water available from
their watershed and the need to mitigate environmental projects. This may be a high concern in
the future because water allocations from MWD may also decrease. Environmental mitigation
projects include the State Water Resources Control Board Mono Lake Decision, which
permanently limited LADWPs ability to export water from the Mono Basin and required the
restoration of the streams feeding Mono Lake and restoration of Mono Lake; implementation of
the Owens Lake Dust Mitigation Project; rewatering the Lower Owens River and a number of
other environmental restoration projects in the Owens Valley that require water.
LADWP anticipates the following issues related to mitigation projects may worsen due to
climate change and to create more challenging conditions for yield supply: more stringent
pumping limitation at Owens Valley to preserve habitat, increased flash flooding in the
watershed, increased waste and debris in source water, damage to facilities, maintenance of
habitat conditions for various species present in the watershed and in ecosystems along the LAA,
and the addition of more requirements to the existing mitigation. In addition to these technical
issues, LADWP noted political issues are associated with watershed protection. One example is
dust mitigation at Owens Lake where difficulties with permitting challenges for LADWP to
offer dry or water efficient dust mitigation measures because the permits require to use water
to provide habitat for shorebirds. Climate change regulation causes limitations and/or reductions
of GHG emission, which may also impact environmental and mitigation projects.
Another concern for LADWPs watershed protection is their limited storage capacity
because less recharge is anticipated due to more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow in
the Eastern Sierras, which creates more potential for flash flooding. The Antelope Valley
groundwater adjudication may present LADWP an opportunity to divert water from the LAA for
groundwater storage, but diverting significant volumes of water at once is a challenge for
LADWP because of the current lack of infrastructure.
LADWP anticipates being faced with invasive species issues. Plants in the watershed
range from grassy types to more woody types. No maintenance fires are allowed so there is an
increase in brush, which in turn requires more water to be maintained decreasing water supply
available.
Watershed Protection and Environmental Regulatory Adaptation Strategies. As
described above, there are several concerns associated with watershed protection and
environmental regulatory functions. LADWP believes that climate change impacts will
exacerbate these concerns.
Adaptation strategies considered are mainly the development of alternative water
supplies. Examples include evaluating groundwater usage at Owens Lake; finding additional
groundwater storage areas; cleaning up San Fernando Valley contamination; developing green
streets by capturing storm water runoff and storing it in spreading grounds; and implementing
conservation and reclamation.

Key Observations

This section summarizes the main points from LADWPs climate change approach and
their challenges on the path to adapt to climate change (Table 4).


16

Table 4
Key observations for LADWP
LADWP Policy Planning Design
Climate Change
Approach
City of LA long-term
water supply policy
in place to sustain a
reliable water supply
while meeting current
and future demand.
No development of
new imported
sources.

City of LAs
mitigation-focused
policy related the
GHG and
participation to the
Mayors Climate
Action Plan.

Additional
organizational needs.

Multi-department
collaboration for
Integrated Resources
Plan, efficient
landscaping, and
conservation.

Development of
pricing programs
incorporating climate
change. Secure
funding mechanisms
for conservation and
recycling.


No recent assessment
of existing water
supply planning
criteria.

Evaluation of water
resources planning
efforts on continual
basis to take into
account changing
conditions and
dynamic water supply
situation impacting
the Citys water
supplies.

Providing near-term
reliability for long-
term water supply
planning.

Yearly predictions of
LAA operation
criteria. Need to
increase LAA storage
capacity.

Monitoring of
impacts of water
source areas (Eastern
Sierra, Bay Area
Delta).

Involvement in
several research
projects and
collaborative
partnerships:
Study in progress to
evaluate and develop
proposed adaptation
measures to address
climate change.
No current
assessment of climate
change impacts on
design criteria
performed.

Modifications of
design standards in
the future. Increased
volatility and
magnitude associated
with climate change
conditions not
impacting design
standards.

No consideration of
climate change in
planning process for
capital projects.

Need to design for
additional storage.
Need to plan for
greater capital and
operational costs due
to longer operational
cycles.

Additional
nitrification in tanks
and reservoirs due to
higher water
temperatures.




(continued)
17

LADWP Policy Planning Design
Downscaling GCM
study with UCLA in
progress.

Adaptation
Challenges
Need to understand
the magnitude and
gravity of source
impacts and
uncertainties before
creating adapting
policies to address
climate change.

State legislation may
increase water fees
and impede investing
in improvements.
Shift mitigation-
focused GHG policy
towards adaptation-
focused.
Changes to demand
planning modeling to
include economic
projections and
modify model
assumptions.

Study of potential
actions to adapt to
future changing
conditions. Outline
LAA potential
operational impacts
and understanding of
climate change
impacts to the Eastern
Sierras.

Expansion of existing
supply source and
diversification of
sources with no new
imported sources.

Development of
conservation and
pricing management
programs.

Integration of climate
change in demand
and supply forecasts.

Washing out LAA,
expanding LAA
congested areas,
clearing out debris
from LAA,
developing watershed
programs to address
Need for more
research on water
quality uncertainties

Potential need for
increased water
quality compliance.

Gaining support of
the community for
future designs.

Development of
additional
infrastructure for
storm water capture,
additional storage
space, additional
treatment compliance,
additional equipment
for water quality
improvement.

Development of
regulatory support to
help with adaptation.


(continued)
(continued)
18

LADWP Policy Planning Design
greater flow peaks.

Investigation of
climate change
impacts to demand
factor, water quality
of the LAA and
groundwater
contaminants and
potential groundwater
recharge.