Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts

The Sanitation Districts were created in 1923 to construct, operate, and maintain facilities that collect and treat domestic and industrial wastewater (sewage). We consist of 24 independent special districts and manage a wastewater treatment system serving about 5.6 million people in 78 of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County, plus unincorporated county areas. 

For over 100 years, the Sanitation Districts' mission has been to protect public health and the environment through innovative and cost-effective wastewater and solid waste management and, in doing so, convert waste into resources such as recycled water, energy, and recycled materials.

Collectively, the Sanitation Districts treat about 400 million gallons of water per day, which is enough to fill the Rose Bowl nearly five times a day. Over the last 60 years, the Sanitation Districts have been the nation's largest producer of recycled water.

The Sanitation Districts’ system includes 11 wastewater treatment plants (including the Joint Outfall System), 47 pumping plants, 1,410 miles of sewers, two tunnels extending from Carson to Royal Palms Beach on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and four outfall pipelines that run along the ocean floor and discharge treated wastewater offshore.

Along with managing the waste, the Sanitation Districts are innovators in the production of green energy and water recycling. Approximately 67 megawatts of electricity are created in the Sanitation Districts’ wastewater and solid waste operations, which is enough to supply power to 67,000 homes. Water reclamation plants produce 100 million gallons per day of recycled water that is beneficially reused at over 850 locations including groundwater replenishment, outdoor irrigation, agriculture and industrial water supply. That is equivalent to the water needs of 340,000 Southern California homes.