Los Angeles to Pay $20.8 Million for Discharging Untreated Wastewater Into San Monica Bay

LOS ANGELES—The city of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $20.8 million to fix issues at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant and to complete related environmental projects linked to the discharge of millions of gallons of wastewater into Santa Monica Bay in 2021, officials announced Tuesday. Hyperion, the city’s oldest and largest wastewater treatment facility, collects, treats, and disposes of wastewater for Los Angeles and several other municipalities, including Beverly Hills, Culver City, El Segundo, Santa Monica, San Fernando, and West Hollywood. Hyperion’s service area includes more than 4 million people. The facility treats an average of 260 million gallons of wastewater per day, of which 225 million gallons are discharged through its 5-Mile Outfall to Santa Monica Bay and 35 million gallons are conveyed to a water recycling facility for advanced treatment and reuse. Treatment of wastewater begins in a portion of the facility called the Headworks area, which involves the use of bar screens to remove large objects such as branches, plastics, and rags, from the entering wastewater....