City of Lomita Water Filtration System to Improve Taste and Reduce Costs

As part of a series of municipal water upgrades that will improve taste, remove contaminants, and reduce rates, the City of Lomita is constructing a new Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filtration system at its Cypress Water Production Facility.

“This project is something that I know our community has looked forward to for a long time,” said Lomita Mayor Mark Waronek, a member of the California JPIA’s Executive Committee. “These upgrades are a direct result of input from Lomita residents; that’s how local government is supposed to work.”

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The GAC filtration vessels will filter out certain natural organic materials, improve the aesthetic qualities of groundwater produced at the facility, and remove benzene, an industrial chemical compound detected at the site in 2019. Since the benzene detection, the city has imported 100 percent of its water from the Metropolitan Water District. The GAC project also will allow the city to return to normal operations.

“These upgrades bring solutions to provide our residents with a first-class water system,” said Lomita City Manager Ryan Smoot. “The Cypress Water Production Facility not only helps keep rates low by ensuring independence from more costly imported water sources but also supports a long-term, sustainable water supply. That is good news for the city and good news for our residents.”

“It comes as no surprise that the City of Lomita put forward a plan to remedy a situation impacting their water supply,” said Senior Risk Manager Melaina Francis. “They assessed the situation, determined and selected a solution, obtained funding, and moved forward to resolve the matter. That is what good risk management is all about.”

The State Department of Drinking Water approved the upgrades, and the Water Replenishment District authorized the use of up to $2,000,000 in grant funds for the project through its Safe Drinking Water Program, which assists local agencies in increasing local water production and improving drought resilience.

The Water Replenishment District evaluates wells under consideration for Safe Drinking Water Program assistance based on water quality data and production history. When assistance is deemed necessary, the Water Replenishment District and the pumping organization jointly develop a treatment solution for the relevant well.

“Lomita’s new Granular Activated Carbon filtration system will be an excellent achievement, providing residents with healthy drinking water for the foreseeable future,” said Francis.

Construction of the upgrades, beginning this month, is expected to take about 12 months to complete. To keep residents informed of GAC project construction activities, along with other water quality information and water system news, the city has created a dedicated website: LomitaWater.com.

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