Inside California’s plan to transform sewage into drinkable water
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Dec. 19. I’m Laura Blasey, the Essential California editor emerging from behind the scenes. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
- California prepares to transform sewage into pure drinking water under new rules.
- The O.C. lawyer helping move the U.S. Catholic Church to the right.
- The best things to do, see and eat in Culver City.
- And here’s today’s e-newspaper.
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Transforming sewage into drinkable water
There’s plenty of materials we recycle — cardboard, glass, air, to name a few. Drinking water could soon be another.
California’s State Water Resources Control Board is set to approve new regulations today that would allow suppliers to begin treating wastewater and providing it to households across the state. The state’s Office of Administrative Law will also need to approve them, likely next year.
“The new rules represent a major milestone in California’s efforts to stretch supplies by recycling more of the water that flows down drains,” my colleague Ian James wrote.
With the board’s go-ahead, suppliers can plan to build sophisticated treatment plants that will send wastewater through activated carbon filters and reverse-osmosis membranes. The process will also use UV lights, among other treatments, to disinfect the water.
But first, a little nuance before we turn on the taps.
Experts say the water is indeed safe to drink
It’s not “toilet to tap,” as critics have called similar efforts in the past. Advocates and experts say the treatment process is complex and backed up by science.
It’s also highly regulated. The state spent more than a decade crafting the rules, which include monitoring and “triple redundancy.”
It will likely be years before these purification plants are up and running, but Ian reports that Los Angeles, San Diego and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California are all planning to make use of the new rules.
One final asterisk: The use of recycled wastewater isn’t new in California — it’s just new to home taps. Parts of the state have sent purified water through outdoor irrigation systems and distributed it through “indirect potable reuse,” which is when treated water replenishes groundwater supplies, then is pumped out and treated again as drinking water.
It will make California better at withstanding drought
The new regulations come as drought and climate change pose questions about the state’s water supply. Experts say there are plenty of benefits to recycling water: greater supply, greater variety of sources, less waste.
As Heather Cooley, director of research at the Pacific Institute, a water think tank in Oakland, told Ian:
“We’re creating a new source of supply that we were previously discharging or thinking of as waste. ... As we look to make our communities more resilient to drought, to climate change, this is really going to be an important part of that solution.”
You can read Ian’s full story here.
Today’s top stories
Religion:
- As Pope Francis nudges the Roman Catholic Church to the left globally, layman Tim Busch of Irvine is pushing American Catholicism to the right.
- The Pope approves blessings for same-sex couples that must not resemble marriage.
- In Bethlehem, the West Bank town revered as Jesus’ birthplace, Christmas is all but canceled, in solidarity with Palestinians’ suffering in Gaza.
Jonathan Majors:
- A Manhattan jury found actor Majors guilty of assaulting ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, ending the high-profile domestic violence trial.
- Marvel has dropped Majors.
Housing and homelessness:
- The little-understood reason why clearing homeless encampments became harder in California than in most other states.
- A study by USC and a San Francisco-based nonprofit has found that a $750 monthly stipend improves the lives of homeless people.
More big stories:
- Insurers say state regulators are responsible for the difficulties that some drivers are having lining up new policies. Consumer advocates blame greed.
- Back-to-back storms are coming to Southern California. Will it be a wet Christmas?
- A second storm is set to arrive in California, spurring flood and snow advisories.
- The wealthiest Californians are fleeing the state. Why that’s very bad news for the economy.
- Residents of Gaza have been forced to face their own mortality as Israel’s airstrikes and ground offensive continue. This is how Palestinians are saying goodbye.
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Commentary and opinions
- Editorial board: The science of reading works. California should require it.
- Mary McNamara: After more than 20 years of sobriety, I have learned a thing or two about how to navigate the season without alcohol. Here are 12 tips.
- Bill Plaschke: UCLA plays hard for embattled coach in comeback win over Boise State.
Today’s great reads
Dead mall, live Santa: A rookie St. Nick steps in at shopping center from ‘Back to the Future.’ Christmas was coming, and Santa Claus was trying to pump some life into a dying American mall.
- Celebrity chef Chris Bianco’s father painted a masterpiece. Then it vanished. What happened?
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your downtime
Going out:
- 🚶♀️19 things to do in Culver City.
- 🎦 Why ‘Teachers Lounge’ is sparking passionate audience responses.
- 📜 How to experience L.A. like a poet.
- 🎤 The post-hardcore band Glassjaw is returning to a sold-out crowd at the Echoplex on Dec. 21 to kick off a short tour celebrating its three-decade milestone.
Staying in:
- 🔊 L.A. confidential: The untold stories behind some of the greatest songs of the 1970s and beyond.
- 📖 Daniel Mason’s novel ‘North Woods’ earned raves for its mix of sweeping history and nature writing. It’s also a sneaky new entry in climate fiction.
- 🧑🍳 Here’s a recipe for abundant chicken pot pie.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
And finally ... a great photo
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Today’s great photo is from freelancer Joelle Grace Taylor of Josh Landau wearing Bootzy Couture choker, ERL top and bottom, and Vans shoes at the beach.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Elvia Limón, multiplatform editor
Laura Blasey, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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