From public recreation in the LA River basin for the first time in 80 years to the splashy debut of a local water sommelier, it’s been a big year for water in Los Angeles. But how much do you really know about water in the Southland? Here are four juicy droplets that just might be new to you:
Los Angeles is home to our country’s very first certified water sommelier. Though far from a novel concept in Martin Riese’s native Europe, this water sommelier made headlines stateside when he debuted in his new role at LACMA’s Ray’s & Stark Bar in late July. “So many people are really surprised and amazed by what we’re doing, but it just makes sense,” says Riese, who hails from Germany. “A restaurant should be all about options, and there are many different wines, spirits and beers. Why serve just one brand of water?”
Riese’s dedicated water menu aims to change that approach with 20 selections—ranging from Vichy Catalan ($32), straight from a salty hot spring in Spain, to Riese’s own Beverly Hills 90H20, which recently won “Best Still or Sparkling Water” at the Beverage Innovation Awards. When evaluating waters for inclusion, Riese says he takes into account the water’s TDS (total dissolved solids) level. “The higher the TDS, the more flavors you get,” explains Riese, adding that the waters on his menu have TDS levels that range from 10 to 3500. “I want to show [diners] the different terroirs.”
Riese also works with patrons to come up with the perfect water pairings—for instance, a lighter mineral water might go well with fish, while a heavier mineral water would pair nicely with steak. “Mother Nature has given us all these different waters with different tastes, and as a sommelier, I’m always trying to come up with the perfect pairing.”
The fountain of youth may actually be right here in the City of Angels—in the Fern Dell section of Griffith Park, to be exact. This effervescent natural spring was first discovered by Angelenos in the 1920s, and once word spread about its fresh, healthful water, locals flocked in hordes to fill up jugs and bottles, hailing it as a “fountain of youth.” (Its healing properties had been recognized long before that, as the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe had once convened there, “drawn by its year-round waters,” according to Friends of Griffith Park.) The area became a popular tourist attraction throughout the 1960s, renowned for lush foliage, terraced pools, faux bois bridges, and other picturesque scenes.
Yet in recent years, the spring had fallen upon harder times due to neglect and vandalism, with the area being named one of 12 “most threatened landscapes” in the country last year by the Cultural Landscape Foundation. Since then, Friends of Griffith Park has been intent on revitalizing this special landmark via its Historic Fern Dell Preservation Project. Among the current initiatives are a partnership with Long Beach Community College’s Horticulture Club to restore the once-ample ferns in the area, numerous slated cleanup efforts, and a plan to restore its footbridges.
And the effort may be none too soon—the natural spring appears determined to re-emerge, having been pinpointed as the cause of a mysterious water problem causing multiple leaks around Los Feliz in 2009, including such locations as the American Film Institute, Immaculate Heart High School and several homes.
Orange County’s Toilet to Tap program may be paving the way for California’s water supply challenges.
Water purists may recoil at the thought of drinking purified wastewater, but if Orange County’s successful Toilet to Tap program is any indication, reclaimed groundwater may be the wave of the foreseeable future. First introduced in 2008, the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) is a three-part purification process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide. The end result? Potable drinking water of near-distilled quality.
It’s the world’s largest wastewaster purification facility of its kind—and it’s only getting bigger. In June, the Orange County Water District announced a $142.7 million expansion for the GWRS that will pump up output from 70 million to 100 million new gallons per day, bringing the total to 850,000 people served yearly. (This piece of news was likely not well-received by the Revolting Grandmas, one of several local groups formed to protest human consumption of treated sewage water.) It’s also a conservation win, as the system produces water at one-half the energy required to import water into Orange County and one-third the energy needed to desalinate seawater.
This year, both San Diego and Santa Clara counties announced similar initiatives, with the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center set to make its debut any day now. So could Los Angeles County be far behind? It’s not unthinkable. Currently, L.A.’s Bureau of Sanitation operates four water reclamation plants—which collectively remove more than a million pounds of debris, grit and organic solids from incoming sewage to produce 80 million gallons of reclaimed water every day. The recycled water is being used for industrial, landscape and recreational purposes and not for drinking water…so far.
The LA River is having a bona fide renaissance.
In early November, hundreds of runners convened for a lively 10k through the L.A. Zoo culminating at Golden Road Brewery. Their purpose? To raise money for the Greenway 2020 project, an ambitious initiative geared at building a 51-mile greenway corridor along the L.A. River. Spearheaded by the L.A. River Revitalization Corp, the projected result has been likened to Central Park, with various parks, gathering spaces and eating areas. (Think everything from bike-in movies to outdoor yoga classes a la Runyon Canyon). Twenty-five miles would be added to the already 26 mile-long bike path, resulting in a continuous path running the length of the river from the Valley to Long Beach.
Promising strides so far include the La Kretz crossing (a pedestrian/equestrian/cyclist bridge connecting Griffith Park and Atwater Village) and a $13 million donation by NBC Universal and Universal Studios Hollywood toward extending the river path from Griffith Park Zoo to Lankershim Boulevard by 2016.
The Greenway 2020 project is happening in tandem with a high-profile feasibility study being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers around the goal of L.A. River ecosystem restoration. The city’s ultimate aim is to restore 11 miles of the river between Griffith Park and downtown (a plan that could cost more than $1 billion, depending on the course of action approved). And thanks to Friends of the LA River founder Lewis MacAdams, LA may be one step closer—MacAdams recently traveled with Washington D.C. with mayor Eric Garcetti to lobby senators and representatives for support.
It’s an exciting time for those who crave a greener approach to the concrete jungle—and the water that runs through it.
Read more about sustainable solutions…
~ Take Back the Soil—Plant Community Gardens
~Radical Architecture for a Sustainable Future
