The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is currently completing the construction of a new Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection Facility at the Los Angeles Reservoir. This second UV plant will supplement the existing Dr. Pankaj Parekh Ultraviolet Disinfection Facility currently treating water coming into the reservoir from the Eastern Sierra and the Bay Delta. The second plant will treat water leaving the reservoir and entering LA’s water distribution system. The new state-of-the-art LA Reservoir UV Disinfection Plant is an important investment in the reliability and safety of LA’s drinking water infrastructure, greatly enhancing LADWP’s mission to deliver pure, clean refreshing tap water to our customers in an efficient and publicly responsible manner.
UV Disinfection
The use of UV to disinfect drinking water safely and rapidly is a relatively new, but effective technology. UV light is not visible to the naked eye but it is very effective in attacking harmful organisms and disrupting the DNA in viruses, bacteria and protozoa. The technology is ideal for treating chlorine-resistant micro-organisms like Cryptosporidium and Giardia. UV treatment will provide essential disinfection while minimizing disinfection by-products, reducing the need for the required chlorine doses. It will further assist LADWP in complying with the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2) and is an important element in achieving system-wide regulatory compliance.
UV Plant Specifics
Building Space: The main UV building will be approximately 319 feet long by 95 feet wide, with a ceiling height of approximately 28 feet to 38 feet.
Maximum Flow Rate: 650 million gallons a day (MGD)
Inlet Configuration: The 144-inch inlet pipe will be split into two 108-inch headers to allow for simplified flow-splitting within the facility and for finer adjustment of the flow rate.
Outlet Configuration: Outflow from the plant will exit through the two 108-inch outlet headers and enter a 144-inch trunk line. The flow will then pass through a flow control station to allow operators to tailor the flow rate to specific customer needs.
Number of Reactors: 13 available for maximum flow with 2 backup reactors
Number of UV Lamps per reactor: 5 UV lamps at 20kW per lamp
Back-up Power: A combination of two 1,100 kVA uninterruptible power supplies and a 2,500kW backup diesel generator.
Start of Construction: Late 2016
In Service Date: January 31, 2022
Project Cost: $123.8 Million
Funding Source: Pass-Thru funded through water rate