LADWP in the Community

E arth Day is officially celebrated on April 22, but for LADWP, Earth Day is everyday. We strive daily to be a responsible environmental steward every day through various programs, capital projects and initiatives to help make Los Angeles the cleanest, greenest, most sustainable city in America. The stories here are just some highlights of how we protect the environment not just on Earth Day, but every day!

Los Angeles Ranked #1 City for Solar Installed!

For the second year in a row, Los Angeles has been distinguished as the #1 Solar City in the nation , according to an annual report from the the Environment America Research & Policy Cente r. This is a tremendous honor and only strengthens our resolve to continue working toward renewable goals so that all our customers can share in the benefits of solar energy. Big thanks to all our customers who believe in the cause for solar and renewables. We couldn't have done it without you!

Saving the Earth by Saving Our Local Water Did you know, L.A. sits atop a sizable underground water resource in the San Fernando Valley? LADWP launched a $92 million project last year to respond to historical releases of hazardous substances, and restore and protect the full use of the San Fernando Basin as a safe, high-quality source of drinking water. The North Hollywood West Groundwater Treatment Project is the first of four planned remediation projects in the San Fernando Valley, and construction is expected to be completed by early next year. Once complete, the project will begin removing contamination from the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin, protecting the public and restoring our historic ability to use it as a resource. This means restored availability of local, affordable, clean, refreshing drinking water for our customers, while reducing our dependence on expensive, imported water.

Earth Day at Grand Park We celebrated Earth Day at Grand Park on April 11 with the theme "Live Clean and Go Green." Sponsored by LADWP, Grand Park and The Music Center, Earth Day L.A. featured a variety of educational booths, activities and demonstrations on how to live a cleaner, greener lifestyle. L.A. residents, workers, students and visitors delighted in activities such as gardening demos, musical entertainment, recycled art projects, electric vehicle demos and kid-friendly yoga. Visitors also learned about topics such as composting and living a healthy lifestyle from vendors. Earth Day L.A. is an annual event celebrated worldwide with various events to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day L.A. now includes events in more than 193 countries.

Did You Know? At 102 gallons per day, Los Angeles has one of the lowest water use per capita levels of any major U.S. city. Water use today is about the same as it was in the 1970s, despite a population increase of over 1 million people.

Do Your Part for the Earth by Recycling that Old Refrigerator! T he Refrigerator Turn-in and Recycle ( RETIRE ) program and the Refrigerator Exchange Program , have h elped customers save on their bills, conserve energy and cut down on greenhouse gas emission by recycling their old, inefficient refrigerators. To date, customers have turned in more than 170,000 energy inefficient refrigerators to LADWP for recycling through both programs. The estimated combined energy savings is equivalent to taking 32,000 homes off the grid on an annual basis!

Project Highlight

Largest Solar Installation in Sun Valley Goes Live LADWP and city officials recently 'flipped the switch" on the City's largest rooftop solar installation located in Sun Valley, that will will reduce up to 4.3 million pounds of carbon from the environment. The installation is the latest project in LADWP's Feed-in Tariff Program which lets commercial property owners use their under-utilized rooftop space to generate energy and sell it to LADWP. The result is zero-carbon, renewable energy that also supports jobs and fuels private investment.

Did You Know? LADWP is on track to reach 33% renewable power by next year, and we are not stopping there! LADWP's goal is to achieve 55% renewables by 2030 with studies and plans in the works to reach 100%. But we have to do it in a cost-effective manner while maintaining power reliability for our customers. From solar, to wind, to hydropower, biomass and geothermal, it's all in the mix. To learn more about our efforts and what you can do to go green, click here .

CA Friendly: The New L.A. Lawn L.A. does a great job when it come to conserving water in the home, but what about those water guzzling lawns on the exterior? Why not make the switch to a more sustainable, California Friendly, drought tolerant landscape with LADWP's Turf Replacement Program ? You'll save money, save water and be the envy of your neighborhood.

Join the Team! LADWP Meter Reader Are you looking for a great career that doesn't have you cooped up in a cubicle all day--one that combines your love for the outdoors while getting in some exercise? Meter readers record the data on water and electrical meters to make sure we bill our customers accurately and on time. They log many miles walking in the community to access meters while interacting with customers and providing great customer service. If you think being a meter reader for LADWP is the career for you, visit www.ladwp.com/jobs .

Employee Focus: The LADWP Green Team The LADWP Green Team is a group of dedicated employees throughout the Department who come up with innovative sustainability solutions for our operations and facilities. From finding ways to be more energy efficient to reducing paper waste, the Green Team is on it. This month, you'll find them volunteering at the annual Cal State Northridge Orchard Pick harvesting fruit to donate to local food banks.

Partnering with Neighborhood Councils

LADWP is the only department in the City of Los Angeles with a formal Memorandum of Understanding with Neighborhood Councils committing to regular and ongoing communication about department programs and policies. The DWP-NC MOU and Advocacy Committees meet every first Saturday of the month at 8:45 a.m. at LADWP Headquarters at 111 N. Hope St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Join us!