The Challenge
Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis where skyscrapers meet parched earth. Yet while historic droughts continue, precious rainwater slips away, untapped and undervalued. What if every raindrop could be tapped into as useful resource? This is the question California water agencies found themselves grappling with as they faced twin challenges: The relentless march of long-term droughts, and an urgent need to diversify their water portfolio with climate-resilient options.
The traditional playbook of importing water from distant sources was no longer enough. It was time to look closer to home to see whether the capture and use of stormwater be the key to quenching the city's thirst.
Our Approach
We partnered with Accelerate Resilience L.A. to turn this water-wise dream into a quantifiable reality.
Here's how we set out to revolutionize L.A.'s relationship with rain:
Comprehensive Evaluation: We embarked on a mission to quantify and evaluate the total potential value of alternative stormwater capture strategies. Our scope was as varied as the city itself, encompassing distributed low-impact development retrofits, regional capture infrastructure, and a spectrum of property types, from residential to industrial
Opportunity Mapping: We meticulously identified specific opportunities for the implementation of capture strategies, collaboration between agencies and stakeholders, and co-funding initiatives to maximize resource efficiency
Engaging Visualization: We transformed complex data into accessible insights by synthesizing information into engaging materials and developing a web-based dashboard for interactive exploration
Barrier Busting: Our dashboard didn't just showcase opportunities; it also highlighted potential barriers, allowing agencies to proactively address challenges.
Goal Alignment: We ensured that expanded stormwater capture programs aligned with broader objectives, enhancing water supply resilience and improving water quality across the Los Angeles region
Key Takeaways
Innovative Resource Management: Transforming stormwater from a potential hazard into a valuable resource
Data-Driven Decision Making: Providing quantifiable insights to guide policy and infrastructure investments
Collaborative Approach: Fostering partnerships between agencies and stakeholders for more effective implementation
User-Friendly Tools: Developing interactive resources to make complex data accessible to decision-makers
Holistic Benefits: Addressing both water supply and water quality challenges simultaneously
Scalable Solutions: Creating a framework that can be adapted to various property types and capture strategies
Future-Proofing: Helping L.A. build resilience against drought and climate change impacts
This project demonstrates Craftwater's ability to reimagine urban water management, turning challenges into opportunities and raindrops into a resource for Los Angeles' water future.
To learn more about Craftwater’s work to accelerate resilience in Los Angeles, please visit https://acceleratela.org/incentives/ and watch this great video: https://vimeo.com/670304734