I've been photographing the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Remediation (SFGR) project in North Hollywood since the beginning of the project, when it was just dirt. But until recently, I wasn't quite sure what the project was. That's why I was so surprised and thrilled to see my image in the Los Angeles Daily News in an article about the Tujunga Well Field Response Action Treatment Facility! It was fascinating to read about the SFGR project, which aims to reduce Los Angeles' reliance on imported water (something we always seem to never have enough of) by providing up to 87,000 acre-feet of drinkable water annually, enough for over 261,000 households.
I'm so proud to be contributing my small part to such an important project. It has been really cool to be able to see the development of the sites from dirt into the facilities they are today. I hope that more projects like these are developed soon, so that we can become more self-sustainable with our local supply of clean and reliable drinking water.
To see the original article, click here
Press Release:
San Fernando Groundwater Remediation Project Brings Clean Drinking Water to Angelenos
- West Coast Aerial Photography's aerial photograph was used in a LA Daily News Article about the San Fernando Groundwater Remediation project, which will reclaim water from contaminated aquifers to provide clean drinking water to Angelenos.
- The article discusses how three new groundwater treatment plants will help address the city's long-standing water crisis.
Los Angeles, CA – The San Fernando Valley Groundwater Remediation (SFGR) project will provide clean drinking water to the City of Los Angeles. This groundbreaking project will reclaim water from contaminated aquifers in the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin (SFB) and bring much-needed relief to Angelenos who have been dealing with limited water resources for years.
West Coast Aerial Photography recently provided aerial photographs of the Tujunga Well Field Response Action Treatment Facility, which is part of the massive SFGR undertaking. The photograph was used in a LA Daily News article about the project.
“We are proud to be a part of such an important project,” said West Coast Aerial Photography President Mark Holtzman. “Our photos help tell the story and show the progress being made every day.”
The San Fernando Groundwater Reclamation project is a 600-million dollar endeavor that involves multiple sites throughout the San Fernando Valley Superfund, which covers a substantial section of the SFB, an area of 226 square miles in northwest Los Angeles. The goal is to reduce pollutants found in groundwater of the Superfund site, which stretches from Pacoima to Burbank and Glendale, and make it safe enough for human consumption. By doing so, approximately 800,000 Angelenos will have access to safe drinking water from a sustainable, local groundwater source.
The project includes advanced treatment processes like ultraviolet advanced oxidation, in conjunction with sand separators, cartridge filters, and granular activated carbon vessels, to remove pollutants such as TCE (Trichloroethylene) and PCE (Perchloroethylene), among others, from the water supply. The source of the contamination dates back to the 1940s, where commercial and heavy industrial activities used improper storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous chemicals. Once the remediation is completed, it will be one of the largest reclaimed water projects in California, providing clean, sustainable drinking water for decades to come.
"This cleanup will help to restore the full beneficial use of this critical water resource for drinking water and storage, putting the City in a stronger position to manage conditions of extreme drought in the future,” said Councilmember Paul Krekorian. “The San Fernando aquifer is one of California’s most important water resources and its use for storage and recharge is critical to meeting LA’s goal of reaching 70% of locally sourced water by 2035."