For over 50 years, the Clean Water Act has done much to protect our nation’s waterways, but loopholes in the regulations and lax enforcement have crippled its effectiveness, allowing polluters to exploit the system and contaminate our waters with impunity.

Three years after the Hyperion sewage spill, LA has finally agreed to a $20 million settlement for critical upgrades. But while this is a positive step, ensuring Hyperion’s long-term viability and justice for affected communities, there’s still much more work left to do.

Though recent headlines may suggest these problems are new, the reality is that bacterial contamination, ocean advisories, and beach closures have been worsening in recent years. It’s enough to make any beach-going Angeleno wonder: what’s going on, and is this something people should be worried about?

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.

As we reflect on the past year's successes, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our legal interns, whose dedication and expertise have played a pivotal role in shaping our 2023 efforts. From researching the ramifications of Sackett v. EPA to exploring the harmful impacts of ship anchoring on the seafloor, they have collectively demonstrated a commitment that goes beyond their individual roles. The strides we've made in the past year wouldn't have been possible without their collaborative efforts.

Our State of the Water blog series has explored how LA’s water sources fared after one of the wettest wet seasons the region has ever experienced. Here we explore how we can take advantage of future rains to ensure a secure water future.

Two years have passed since a catastrophic system failure at the Hyperion Water Treatment Plant led to a massive spill of 12.5 million gallons of raw sewage into the plant’s one-mile outfall pipe. This disaster on July 11, 2021 was our region’s most devastating sewage spill in decades. In its aftermath, LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN) is working with the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LA Regional Board) on a plan to address its numerous violations related to the spill. Depending on the outcome of negotiations between these agencies, robust penalties for this spill could create an opportunity for local community investments focused on ecological restoration, as well as investments that would modernize our wastewater system to protect our region from similar spills in the future.

LA Waterkeeper tackled some major legal challenges this year, and we could not have done it without our legal interns and their incredible work behind the scenes. From deep diving into the LA River Master Report, to helping enforce Clean Water Act requirements on its 50th anniversary year, to researching sewage spills throughout Los Angeles County, these law students contributed to the litigation work that makes our impact possible.

With LA Waterkeeper reaching a final resolution with the West Basin Municipal Water District to put the final nail in the coffin of its ill-conceived proposed ocean desalination project, it is important to reflect on how important this lawsuit was in promoting a more resilient and equitable water future for the region.

LA Waterkeeper’s fight for stormwater cleanup in Los Angeles led all the way to the US Supreme Court.

One year after the Hyperion Water Treatment Plant released 12.5 million gallons of raw sewage, regulators have yet to levy penalties for the spill.

How do we prevent future sewage spills from occurring, so our communities and environment aren’t further damaged? And of course, when will it be safe to go back out into the water? LA Waterkeeper has kept track of the situation to help keep YOU informed on the latest updates on the spill and its aftermath.

How the Los Angeles Regional Water Board’s disappointing new MS4 Permit will inevitably lead LA to another decade of stormwater pollution.

Reconciling with the DDT nightmare occurring off our coast.

Breaking down why LA’s municipal stormwater permit is important but failing to protect human and ecological health.