August is National Water Quality Month | |
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August, 2023
Save Water, Energy, Money and the Environment
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Bixby Marshland Inspires Mural at Local Hospital | |
Tour the Albert Robles Center for Water Recycling | |
Find Free Water Conservation Equipment and Information for Residents | |
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West Basin Calls For Community Booths at
Fall Water Harvest
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West Basin is seeking cities and community organizations to participate in its annual Water Harvest. The festival takes place on Saturday, October 14 at the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility in El Segundo, located at 1935 S. Hughes Way.
At the event, West Basin will share its collective water wisdom through tours, opportunity drawings, giveaways, and more. It will also showcase its partners, in an effort to inform, educate and engage about how to be water wise.
Space is limited. Those interested in hosting a booth should register by the Thursday, August 31 here.
After the registration deadline, West Basin staff will reach out to confirm applicants' participation as a booth participant.
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Tour an Advanced Water Treatment Facility | |
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WRD offers a variety of engaging tours about groundwater replenishment and basin management.
Currently, WRD offers virtual and limited in-person tours of its newest advanced water treatment facility, the Albert Robles Center for Water Recycling and Environmental Learning (ARC).
The ARC facility encompasses an advanced water treatment facility, a fully digital learning center and water-efficient demonstration gardens. If you are interested in attending a general public tour please sign up here. For a full list of tours, click here.
Upcoming Tour:
September 9, 2023, Saturday
10 - 11 a.m.
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City of Torrance Eliminates Potential Storm Water Pollutants | |
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We drink it, swim in it, clean with it and can’t do without it. Water is one of our most precious natural resources, but often we don’t take much notice of it until there is too much, too little or it is too polluted.
The City of Torrance has two drainage systems — the sewers and the storm drains. The storm drain system was designed to prevent flooding by carrying excess rainwater away from city streets out to the ocean. That means that most of the runoff from the streets of Torrance discharges directly into the Pacific Ocean via the storm drain system, without being filtered.
Read full article here.
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Good2Go Program Facilitates E-Bike Sharing | |
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Four new e-bike share hubs are giving Rancho San Pedro residents incentives to adopt emission-free micromobility for local travel.
The project, called the Good2Go Bike Program, is designed to provide more reliable transit to help remedy a lack of consistent public transportation options in the community.
The project was launched by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), and Pedal Movement thanks to $1 million in funding from the California Climate Investments Clean Mobility Options Program.
It aims to expand resident access to economic and health opportunities by providing affordable, on-demand travel options and reducing harmful air pollution. Learn more here.
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Metro Teams Up with LADOT to
Offer Subsidies for Ride Sharing
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Metro and LADOT teamed up on a mobility wallet pilot, which provides $150 per month in subsidies for use on shared mobility, such as Metro rail, bus, BlueLA EV car share, rideshare, Metrolink, bike share, scooters and more. The mobility wallet will serve approximately 2,000 subscribers for one year.
Since its launch in May 2023, more than 1,000 Mobility Wallet debit cards have been distributed to low-income people oriented to the community of South L.A. The program provides an all-in-one way for families to pay for multiple modes of transportation.
Metro is looking for ways to expand the program. The Mobility Wallet has been identified as a project that could be supported throughout LA County in preparation for the 2028 Olympics.
Read full article here.
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Guide Offers "How to" for
Home Rainwater Harvesting
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The South Bay Rainwater Harvesting Program provides helpful information and resources for homeowners on how to capture rainwater for use in the garden, patio or other places on a property. A residential “how-to” guide, was developed by the Beach Cities and Palos Verdes Peninsula Watershed Management Groups in coordination with local building and safety officials, to provide helpful information to residents interested in constructing simple projects to capture rainwater on their property.
Learn more ways to conserve nature's most precious resource here.
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LADWP Offers FREE Water Conservation Devices | |
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If you own or rent a home within the LADWP’s service area, you can receive showerheads and aerators for free.
Residential customers qualify for the following water-efficient items:
- Bathroom Faucet Aerators
- Kitchen Faucet Aerators
- Showerheads
- Toilet Leak Detection Dye Tablets
To get free showerheads and aerators customers can visit their nearest Customer Service Center.
LADWP offers a variety of energy efficiency and water conservation rebates and programs, specifically designed to help customers save energy, water and money. Find out about more programs and rebates here.
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Bixby Marshland Inspires Healing with New Mural | |
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Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Bixby Marshland was the inspiration for a new mural at Harbor UCLA Medical Center (HUCLA) in West Carson.
Local artist, Jaime Scholnick (pictured below), was commissioned by HUCLA to create a mural and a community engagement component with the intention to help people heal and connect with their natural surroundings.
She visited Bixby Marshland on multiple occasions and was impressed by the peace and tranquility the marsh offered in the middle of an urban setting. Her mural depicts a snapshot of the past, a glimpse of what the area looked like when it was inhabited by the native Tongva people before the development of the port and the Carson/Wilmington area.
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Currently, the mural exists only digitally. There are plans underway to have the mural made in Germany by renowned stained-glass fabricator Franz Mayer of Munich.
Once finished, the mural will be 20 feet wide by 17 feet high and will hang in the lobby of the hospital’s new patient building.
Harbor UCLA is currently undergoing an extensive renovation to upgrade the facilities to better serve the community.
The Sanitation District was asked by Scholnick if HUCLA and Sanitation Districts could coordinate the opportunity to host future healing workshops at Bixby Marshland due to the close proximity of their locations. HUCLA is only six minutes away. The Sanitation District is looking forward to serving as a greater resource for the community. Jaime believes it is important for people to have access to nature, especially those who are sick or injured.
To learn more about the Bixby Marshland visit here.
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LED Lightbulbs = Lower Energy Bills | |
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Over the past decade, there’s been a major push to move to energy-efficient lighting across the country. But now in California, energy-efficient lighting will become the new normal because of the appliance efficiency regulations, or Title 20. The new standards went into effect January 1, 2020 and require that most types of general service lamps, better known as Type-A light bulbs, emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt. Further, Title 20 bans the future sale of all standard incandescent bulbs across the state.
As a result, it’s easier than ever for Californians to be energy efficient and save money on lighting costs. Now is the perfect opportunity to replace all the outdated bulbs in your home or business with energy-efficient bulbs like LEDs. These bulbs use up to 90% less energy, save nearly $55 in electricity costs over their lifetime, last at least 15 times longer, and come in a range of styles and color temperatures to fit your needs.
SoCalREN can help you get started with a variety of resources and energy efficiency programs available to homeowners, multifamily tenants, businesses, and public agencies. Learn more about how increasing your energy efficiency can help you save.
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Kits for Kids Programs Help Families Save Money | |
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The SoCalREN Kits for Kids Program introduces third and fourth-grade students to energy efficiency.
Students from participating schools perform an interactive scavenger hunt and receive energy-efficient items at no cost that can help their families save energy and money. During the program each household installs the items in their home.
Each enrolled classroom is eligible to receive a $1,000 grant if 65% of students provide proof of installation. Learn more here.
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Get Green Business Certified | |
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The California Green Business Program (CAGBN) is a network of local programs operated by counties and cities throughout California. Businesses in El Segundo, Hawthorne and Torrance are eligible to join the CAGBN.
Businesses that apply receive personal attention from the public agencies and utilities that serve them. The program is funded by grassroots contributions from local government and utility partners to make it accessible to small to medium-sized businesses in California.
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Participation is free and easy.
To learn more and apply, go to the California Green Business Network website, or contact Martha Segovia for help getting registered, and start saving today at
310-371-7222 or
martha@southbaycities.org.
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LA County Offers FREE Household Hazardous and
Electronic Waste Collection
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Free, one-day, periodic collection events are provided by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. Nearly every weekend there is an event somewhere in L.A. County that provides a safe and convenient way to dispose and recycle household hazardous waste and electronics.
Next month South Bay residents are encouraged to attend this upcoming Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Drive-Thru Collection Event.
Learn about more upcoming events here.
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Links to Partner Resources En Español:
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