The Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN) has selected Stantec and Carollo Engineers to provide engineering, program management and project delivery services for Pure Water Los Angeles, a major potable reuse initiative aimed at expanding the city’s local drinking water supply.
The program is expected to produce up to 230 million gallons of purified recycled water per day, helping Los Angeles achieve its goal of sourcing 70% of its drinking water locally while reducing its reliance on imported water supplies.
Under the contract, Stantec and Carollo will provide program management support and conceptual design services to upgrade the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant from a secondary treatment facility to an advanced water treatment plant. The team will also oversee operations, maintenance and regulatory support for the Hyperion membrane bioreactor pilot facility, which is intended to help secure regulatory approval and refine the design of the full-scale advanced treatment system.
Currently, about half of Los Angeles’ drinking water comes from local sources, including groundwater, recycled water and supplies from the Los Angeles Aqueduct. The remainder is imported from other agencies. City officials say expanding potable reuse will improve long-term water reliability and strengthen resilience against drought and other climate-related water supply challenges.
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“Our team has had the privilege of working with many communities to deliver potable reuse strategies that are transforming the future of safe, reliable drinking water in Southern California,” said Zakir Hirani, vice president and water reuse practice leader at Stantec. “Working alongside LASAN, we’re applying proven technologies and treatment expertise to help Los Angeles build a more resilient water system—one that protects this region today and for generations to come.”
Gil Crozes, senior vice president at Carollo Engineers, said the project will help maximize local water resources while improving the region’s resilience.
“We applaud the city’s vision to optimize local water supplies by maximizing the production of purified recycled water through this landmark potable reuse program,” Crozes said. “This generational initiative will substantially increase water supply resilience while helping mitigate the risks of increasingly extreme weather.”
According to LASAN, the project builds on years of planning for the Hyperion facility.
“Pure Water Los Angeles represents a generational investment in the future of our city,” said Dr. Hubertus Cox, division manager of LASAN’s Water Recycling Implementation Division. “The Stantec team was instrumental in developing the Hyperion Program of Pure Water Los Angeles as they were involved in every step from program inception to finalizing the conceptual plans.”
Cox added that the firm’s experience in advanced water purification processes helped demonstrate the feasibility of the program while identifying design alternatives that reduced overall project costs.
The project adds to both firms’ growing portfolios of potable reuse projects across California. Stantec is also involved in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Pure Water Southern California initiative in Carson, providing design services for an advanced water treatment demonstration facility. The company is also providing program management, operations, and maintenance planning for Phase 2 of Pure Water San Diego, which is expected to eventually supply up to half of San Diego’s drinking water. Stantec is also providing program management for Pure Water Antelope Valley, California’s first inland potable reuse program.
