July 25, 2023

Los Angeles, CA – Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath continues the environmental legacy of Los Angeles County’s Third District by calling for the acceleration of water quality and resiliency projects as part of the Safe Clean Water Program created by voters through their approval of Measure W in 2018. A motion (Item 23) unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors today directs the Public Works Department to report back on which areas in the County have the greatest potential for new water projects, including upgrading flood control infrastructure; improving water quality; capturing stormwater runoff; and greening our communities with multi-benefit projects.

“Our future will be defined by how we responsibly manage our scarce water resources,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “The extreme rain events earlier this year followed by the extreme heat demonstrates the extreme need to capture all the water we can to treat it for other uses, and to green our neighborhoods, especially our inland communities. The Safe Clean Water Program is essential in the near-term, to ensure the health and safety of our waterways, and in the long-term, for our climate adaptation and resiliency. We must move faster and with greater efficiency in building our sustainable water future.” 

Since November 2018, LA County has approved 126 projects in 50 cities, representing nearly $1 billion in public investment. These projects will increase annual average stormwater capture by nearly 60,000-acre feet. If all that water went to our aquifers, that would be enough supply to serve nearby a half-million Angelenos.

With this significant progress, there’s more work to do. Today’s motion will identify ways to streamline the application process for many types of projects to encourage smaller cities, school districts, and nonprofits to access Measure W resources, particularly in underserved communities.

“The Safe Clean Water Program has the potential to help communities better adapt to climate change by improving water quality, increasing water supply, reducing flood risk, and providing new green space to mitigate extreme heat,” said Tracy Quinn, President and CEO of Heal the Bay. “We applaud Supervisor Horvath for her leadership and vision in introducing a motion that will transition the program from the start-up phase to a more strategic approach that accelerates investments in these important resiliency projects.”

Recommendations for accelerating projects and streamlining the application process will be presented as part of the Safe Clean Water Program’s Biennial Review that is expected back to the Board at the end of this year.

To learn more about the Safe Clean Water Program, visit https://safecleanwaterla.org/.

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