Waterworks Capital Projects: Investing in Our Water Infrastructure
Reliable water service depends on a strong, well-maintained infrastructure system. Behind every faucet, hydrant, and water connection is a network of water mains, pumps, reservoirs, and other essential assets that require ongoing investment. Through its Waterworks Capital Projects program, Los Angeles County Waterworks Districts (LACWD) plans and delivers improvements designed to maintain reliable service, address aging infrastructure, build resiliency, and prepare the water system to meet future needs.
What Are Waterworks Capital Projects?
LACWD capital projects are major investments in the water system that typically involve the construction, replacement, rehabilitation, or significant improvement of long-term infrastructure. These projects are planned based on the condition and performance of existing facilities, system needs, regulatory requirements, available funding, and anticipated growth.
Capital projects may range from replacing aging water mains to upgrading pump stations, storage facilities, and other critical components of the water system.
Why Capital Improvements Matter
Water infrastructure is a long-term investment. Many components of a water system are expected to serve communities for decades, making proactive planning and maintenance essential.
Capital improvements help:
- Improve reliability: Upgrading aging infrastructure can reduce the risk of service interruptions and unexpected failures.
- Maintain water quality: Improvements to treatment, storage, and distribution facilities help support the delivery of safe, reliable drinking water.
- Increase system efficiency: Modern equipment and infrastructure can improve operations and reduce maintenance and energy costs.
- Address aging infrastructure: Replacing or rehabilitating older infrastructure helps extend the useful life of the water system.
- Meet regulatory requirements: LACWD is committed to serving reliable supply of high quality water that meets and exceeds all primary and secondary drinking water standards.
- Prepare for the future: Strategic investments help ensure the system can support changing community needs and future demands.
How are Capital Improvements funded:
- The District maintains an Accumulative Capital Outlay fund to support infrastructure projects.
- Funding sources include a portion of water bill rates and standby charge fees. Rate charges and standby fees from existing customers are only used for upgrades that support existing demands.
- Projects that address future system needs are funded by new development or constructed directly by developers as part of their entitlement process.
- The District also pursues various State and Federal grant programs to support project funding.