Granular Activated Carbon Filtration System

UPDATE: The GAC Project has been delayed due to supply chain constraints. The City has begun preliminary licensing work in preparation for project completion in 2023.

The City of Lomita is moving forward with plans to upgrade its water infrastructure with a new Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filtration system.

The project is the result of grassroots input from the Lomita community. The City listened to residents’ concerns about their drinking water, and this project has been designed specifically to address those concerns. The GAC vessels will remove the benzene that forced the City to shut down the Cypress Water Production Facility last year, as well as filter out natural organic materials that residents have created taste and odor concerns for residents.

The City has secured approval from the State Department of Drinking Water for the upgrades, and the project has been approved by the Water Replenishment District (WRD) under the Safe Drinking Water Program (SDWP). WRD has authorized the use of up to $2,000,000 in SDWP grant funds for the treatment project.

Since the benzene detection in 2019, the City’s only groundwater well has been offline and the City has been importing 100 percent of its water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). The GAC project will remove benzene and other constituents and allow the City to return to normal operations. With the partnership of the WRD, the project will help to ensure we can provide safe clean water to our residents, even in times of severe drought.

While the GAC project is in progress, water continues to be provided through the City’s imported water connections. In fact, during the revised operations period, Lomita Water has been able to test and improve various emergency interconnections to ensure that we continue to meet all State and Federal safety requirements and ensure we’re able to provide water, even in an emergency situation. 

The City is committed to sharing information and helping residents understand where their water comes from, and we encourage you to continue to visit www.LomitaWater.com for answers to Frequently Asked Questions, water quality data and reports, and project updates.