Wastewater Infrastructure | UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Our Vision: Universal access to safe, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater management nationwide

Our work: No one knows how many wastewater systems fail to provide adequate sanitation services or how we should invest in wastewater recycling. We are working to assess this in California, developing recommendations to prioritize investments and solutions, and then linking our research to national efforts to protect public health and water quality.

CURRENT PROJECT(S)

Wastewater Needs Assessment for the Human Right to Sanitation

Researcher(s): Gregory Pierce, Ariana Hernandez, Grace Harrison, Anna Young

No one knows exactly how many of the 100,000 miles of sewer lines and 900+ utility providers and treatment plants in California provide adequate service, yet. We are conducting a first-of-its-kind study to answer this question and advance equitable sanitation services.

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Analyzing Effects of More Efficient Water Use on Wastewater Systems and Recycled Water

Researcher(s): Greg Pierce, Grace Harrison, Erik Porse, Rachel Shellabarger

Funder: California Department of Water Resources

This project seeks to understand the economic impacts of reduced water availability (due to urban conservation) on recycled water and wastewater systems in California. The multi-university team is forecasting water demand and efficiency trends, evaluating links between urban water supply and wastewater systems, identifying potential impacts to recycled water production, and assessing impacts on affordability for systems across the state.

Analyzing Effects of More Efficient Water Use on Wastewater Systems and Recycled Water (current project)

Researchers: Greg Pierce, Grace Harrison, Erik Porse, Rachel Shellabarger

Funder: California Department of Water Resources

Wastewater Needs Assessment for the Human Right to Sanitation (current project)

Researchers: Gregory Pierce, Ariana Hernandez, Grace Harrison, Anna Young

PUBLISHED RESEARCH

An analysis of the City of Los Angeles’ planned investment in Pure Water LA/Operation NEXT wastewater recycling (2024 report)

Researchers: Nicolas Chow, Gregory Pierce, Benjamin Bass, Naomi Goldenson, Adam Barsch, David Kong, Alex Hall, JR DeShazo

We developed a model to analyze the economic and resiliency value of investing in wastewater recycling infrastructure to create a new local, sustainable clean drinking water source. This analysis can inform broader planning efforts in the U.S. and beyond.

The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). As a land grant institution, we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
Click on the linked words to hear the pronunciation for the Tongva-language words.
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