Los Angeles
L.A. imports much of its water from hundreds of miles away and is racing to localize supply through recycling and stormwater capture, with a goal to recycle all its wastewater.
los angeles-city, dept. of water & power
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID CA1910067
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Los Angeles imports a large share of its water from the Colorado River, the Owens Valley, and Northern California — long, vulnerable supply lines. To reduce that dependence, the city has set a goal to recycle 100 percent of its wastewater and source the bulk of its water locally.
The centerpiece is Operation NEXT, a plan to purify water from the Hyperion treatment plant for groundwater recharge and reuse at massive scale. In parallel, the region is investing heavily in stormwater capture — using spreading grounds and green infrastructure to bank rainfall that once ran straight to the Pacific.
Together, reuse and stormwater capture aim to transform a city long defined by imported water into one that increasingly supplies itself.
Los Angeles County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Goal to recycle 100% of wastewater
- Operation NEXT to purify Hyperion plant water at scale
- Major investment in stormwater capture
- Reducing reliance on imported Colorado River and Sierra water
Statewide drought history
% of California in severe+ drought (Moderate (D1) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles's largest water system, LOS ANGELES-CITY, DEPT. OF WATER & POWER, serves about 7,751,132 people. EPA records show 2 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 3.9 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Los Angeles get its water?
LOS ANGELES-CITY, DEPT. OF WATER & POWER draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of California's supply from Sierra snowpack, Colorado River, State Water Project.
Related water issues
Drought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExploreStormwater Capture
Cities are reengineering streets and parks to capture rain that once ran to the sea, recharging aquifers and reducing flooding at the same time.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
ExploreColorado River
The river that supplies 40 million people has lost roughly a fifth of its flow since 2000, forcing a renegotiation of how seven states share the water.
Explore