The Water Replenishment District (WRD) of Southern California celebrated the groundbreaking of its Inland Injection Well Project at the WRD Leo J. Vander Lans Advanced Water Treatment Facility in the City of Long Beach.
When the WRD Inland Injection Well Project is complete, it will yield up to 2 million gallons of purified recycled water per day from the WRD Leo J. Vander Lans Advanced Water Treatment Facility (LVL AWTF) and inject it into the groundwater aquifers for storage and future use.
By recycling locally available water sources and storing them in underground aquifers, the project will act as a buffer during droughts and contributes to regional water security. The project also reduces the strain on imported water supplies.
“Our job of protecting and replenishing our local groundwater resources is more important now than ever," said WRD Board President John Allen. "The WRD Inland Injection Well Project in Long Beach will contribute to a drought-proof water supply for the 4 million residents that live in the WRD service area."
WRD received grant funding for the project from both the private and public sectors; $1.5M grant funding from PepsiCo as a part of their water sustainability initiative and $1.5M grant funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
"Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we've set forth goals that aim to strategically transform the way we do business to do what's best for our planet," said Johannes Evenblij, president of West Division at PepsiCo Beverages North America. "We are proud to partner with the Water Replenishment District to help the Southern California ecosystem and enable long-term, sustainable water security for our local communities who depend on an accessible and reliable supply of clean, safe water."
Funding from the United States Bureau of Reclamation was secured with support from Congressman Alan Lowenthal. "For over a decade, I've proudly supported WRD's efforts to develop a reliable and sustainable local water supply," said Congressman Lowenthal. "The inland injection well is a natural next step in our work towards a drought resilient region."
The construction on the WRD Inland Injection Well Project is underway and construction is expected to be complete by summer 2022.
