A Year of Environmental Victories: LA Waterkeeper's 2023 Impact
December 28, 2023
For the past 30 years, Los Angeles Waterkeeper has stood as the vigilant steward of LA's waterways, employing a unique blend of law, science, and community action to construct a formidable defense against environmental threats. Think of our approach as a form of medical care, with each pillar serving as a vital contributor to the enhanced health and resilience of LA's waters.
None of these achievements would be possible without the unwavering support of our incredible community of allies, donors, volunteers, and advocates—individuals like you! As we reflect on the milestones of 2023, we want to express our deepest gratitude for being the driving force behind our impactful work. These accomplishments are a testament to the collective strength and commitment of our community. Thank you for making our impact possible.
Pollution Prevention
Under our Pollution Prevention pillar, we conduct initial triage, stopping the bleeding caused by environmental damage by holding polluters accountable.
In 2023, we amped up our industrial stormwater pollution lawsuits, taking on 42 new cases and successfully settling 18 of them.
One notable victory came with the closure of our groundbreaking, and decades long, Caltrans case. In 1993, LA Waterkeeper partnered with the NRDC to sue the California Department of Transportation over discharge from more than 900 miles of roads, 33,000 drains, and 35 maintenance facilities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. After a decade, Caltrans settled, agreeing to cut untreated stormwater by 20% compared to 1994 levels. Despite achieving just a quarter of this initial goal thirty years later, the lawsuit did push Caltrans to rethink the way they build roads and invest $30 million in research and treatment systems capable of filtering 360 million gallons of stormwater per year throughout LA and Ventura counties.
This year, NRDC and LA Waterkeeper agreed with Caltrans to close the case for good, pending a $12 million investment in two capture projects in the Santa Monica Bay watershed. In all, this thirty-year legal battle catalyzed significant changes in how Caltrans addresses runoff pollution in road construction.
In addition, we secured $825,000 for Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) — a type of legal financial settlement that compels polluters to invest in tangible solutions in the communities affected by their actions. These SEPs frequently lend support to local community-based organizations, contributing to initiatives such as habitat restoration, improvement of green infrastructure or native fish habitats, and the enhancement of water resilience. Importantly, these community-based organizations aim to guide these efforts based on resident feedback, with the objective of directly addressing the community's most critical water-quality concerns.
Healthy Habitats
Following our initial intervention, we then direct our attention to our Healthy Habitats work: therapeutic treatments for removing pollutants and providing the necessary conditions for nature to rehabilitate.
Our 2023 beach and river cleanups engaged over 800 individuals and removed more than 2,000 pounds of waste from LA’s precious waterways. In addition, we began to take on increased leadership on LA River Revitalization efforts and continued to increase our focus on MPA enforcement.
Systems Change
Our final pillar operates much like preventive medicine. Armed with legal and scientific expertise, we aim to proactively avert future ecological damage through systemic policy change.
Our engagement with the Safe Clean Water Program (SCWP) perfectly embodies this approach. Launched by Measure W in 2018, the SCWP allocates $280 million annually to enhance local water supplies, improve water quality, and safeguard public health through advanced stormwater capture. To maximize its success, we've engaged in a robust feedback process, assessing the program's first three years in our "Changing the Course” report and hosting a research showcase for the Program’s first Biennial Review.
More recently, we collaborated with Heal the Bay and NRDC to create Vision 2045—a strategic roadmap that defines clear objectives and presents a proactive vision to ensure the Program's success in realizing a truly sustainable and equitable water future for Los Angeles.
Beyond the SCWP, our strategic move from Santa Monica to Downtown LA significantly elevated our involvement in local and state government affairs, allowing us to provide crucial input into motions, votes, and legislation. Moreover, through our Infrastructure Justice for LA coalition, we've identified a list of top 10 projects to secure federal investments in green infrastructure through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
Last but certainly not least, we launched a robust multi-channel communications campaign through our Water Conservation Pilot, reaching 1.7 million Angelenos to educate them on the importance of water conservation. The result? Over 1,400 water conservation actions taken through our partner app Dashboard Earth and nearly 2 million gallons of water saved.
Our Vision for 2024
As we reflect on our accomplishments from 2023, we set our sights on even more ambitious goals for the coming year.
Pollution Prevention: A Continued Focus on Industrial Stormwater
Our commitment to preventing pollution remains unwavering. In 2024, we'll continue our increased focus on addressing industrial stormwater pollution, bringing even more facilities into compliance with the Clean Water Act, as well as securing significant investments in SEPs that go to local community-based organizations to address harm
Healthy Habitats: Rewilding the LA River
In early 2024, we're embarking on a bold, visionary project: to develop a multi-stakeholder, science-backed, and community-driven strategy for rewilding the LA River. We dream of a future in which the current concrete-bound, water-wasting flood control channel is transformed into a thriving, ecologically restored waterway -- one that retains and improves upon the river’s current flood control functions, while yielding compounded benefits for both humans and ecosystems. In 2024, we begin to turn this dream into reality.
Systems Change: Advocating for Green Schools and Climate Resilience
Our 2024 Systems Change goals are just as diverse and ambitious:
Increasing advocacy efforts to green our local schools; working through our Infrastructure Justice LA coalition to bring as much federal funding as possible to the LA region for multi-benefit projects; transforming the Metropolitan Water District's business model to move away from environmentally-damaging water imports in favor of more sustainable and cost-effective local water like wastewater recycling; and collaborating with state and global partners to push back against the Supreme Court’s attempts to weaken the Clean Water Act.
Why Our Work Matters
In the face of the climate crisis, our mission is not just important; it's absolutely crucial.
LA's water governance is infamously complex, with over 200 agencies with overlapping jurisdictions and responsibilities. Yet, for three decades, we've remained steadfast. Our pragmatic and holistic approach allows us to tackle the myriad challenges our waterways face, cutting through the bureaucracy to secure tangible victories for LA's waters and its people.
Most importantly, we’re not afraid to push back, to hold both polluters and decision-makers accountable. Armed with law, science, and community support, we don't merely dream of a better future; we assertively demand it.
As worsening climate change intensifies the need for urgent, ambitious action, the choices we make now will determine whether we create a truly sustainable future or succumb to the inertia of business as usual.
Together, We Can Make a Difference
And that’s where you come in. Your support for LA Waterkeeper is a crucial part of the solution. Every donation propels us forward in our mission to safeguard water resources, combat pollution, and foster a genuinely sustainable and equitable future for all Angelenos.
Donate today and join the movement for cleaner, healthier, and more resilient waterways. Together, we can create the future we all deserve.