Title: Stormwater Capture and Greywater Treatment System for the Holy Spirit Retreat Center Lake

Faculty Jeremy Pal Sandra Luca Joseph Reichenberger Student Project Managers Cassandra Nickles The LMU PEEC Team Project Strand Local

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PROJECT SUMMARY

In this project, an LMU freshmen team of 23 engineering students propose to install a stormwater and greywater capture system for the Holy Spirit Retreat Center to maintain a lake currently being kept dry due to the drought. The specific goals of the project are to 1) divert stormwater from rooftops into the lake by modifying roof downspouts and gutter flow; 2) increase water input with the addition of a greywater system that will provide repurposed and treated washing machine water; 3) Construct a small wetland water treatment system to treat greywater; 4) minimize water loss by sealing and repairing the existing lake bottom; 5) Construct a small island in the lake to provide a safe haven for migrating birds vulnerable to predators such as coyotes; and provide educational information about the benefits of water savings and the basics of greywater systems. Through the proposed project, it is expected that Holy Spirit Retreat Center will save approximately 3 acre-feet of water each year depending on rainfall timing and volume; provide a safe haven for resident and migratory birds; and help educate engineering students and guests of the center on issues of water conservation.

CONTACT INFORMATION

College Information

College Loyola Marymount University

Department Department of Civil Engineering & Environmental Science

Make Check Payable To: Loyola Marymount University

Application Strand

Application Strand Technology (Local)

LOCAL Project Name Stormwater Capture and Greywater Treatment System for the Holy Spirit Retreat Center Lake

Faculty Project Manager

Faculty Project Manager Jeremy Pal

Title Associate Professor

Department Civil Engineering & Environmental Science

Campus Address 1 LMU Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Telephone / Email Address 310 568 6241 jpal@lmu.edu

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Student Project Manager

Student Project Manager Cassandra Nickles

Undergraduate or Graduate

Undergraduate

Department Civil Engineering & Environmental Science

Cell Phone / Email Address 626 375 5457 cnickles@lion.lmu.edu

Contracts Manager

Contracts Manager / Officer Thomas O. Fleming Jr

Title Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Department Business and Finance

Campus Address University Hall 4900 1 LMU Drive Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659

Telephone / Email Address 310 338 2738 tfleming@lmu.edu

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Project Management Team

Name Organization Title email

1 Jeremy Pal LMU Associate Professor jpal@lmu.edu

2 Sandra Luca LMU Director of

Student Engagement

sandra.luca@lmu.edu

3 Joseph Reichenberger LMU Professor Joseph.Reichenberger@lmu.edu

4 Cassandra Nickles LMU Student Project Manager cnickles@lion.lmu.edu

5 Joshua Bernardin LMU PEEC Student jbernar8@lion.lmu.edu 6 Connor Cusi LMU PEEC Student ccusiasq@lion.lmu.edu 7 Timothy De Vries LMU PEEC Student tdevrie3@lion.lmu.edu 8 Elizabeth Fanous LMU PEEC Student efanous@lion.lmu.edu 9 Karlie Garrity LMU PEEC Student kgarrit1@lion.lmu.edu 10 Joseph Gorman LMU PEEC Student jgorman3@lion.lmu.edu 11 Loren Johnson LMU PEEC Student ljohns91@lion.lmu.edu 12 Benjamin Kunz LMU PEEC Student bkunz1@lion.lmu.edu 13 Matthew Lasley LMU PEEC Student mlasley@lion.lmu.edu 14 Anthony Modica LMU PEEC Student amodica@lion.lmu.edu 15 Michael Mudy LMU PEEC Student mmudy@lion.lmu.edu 16 George Mundo LMU PEEC Student gmundo@lion.lmu.edu 17 Matthew Navarro LMU PEEC Student navarro.matt.16@gmail.com 18 Juan Neri LMU PEEC Student juanjo.neri@gmail.com 19 Brian Palmigiano LMU PEEC Student bpalmigi@lion.lmu.edu 20 Jared Pangelinan LMU PEEC Student jpangel2@lion.lmu.edu 21 Austin Pohlman LMU PEEC Student apohlman@lion.lmu.edu 22 Adam Reinart LMU PEEC Student areinart@lion.lmu.edu 23 Nathan Sarabia LMU PEEC Student nsarabi1@lion.lmu.edu 24 Masaki Takamatsu LMU PEEC Student mtakama1@lion.lmu.edu 25 Laura Valdepenas LMU PEEC Student lvaldepe@lion.lmu.edu 26 Richard Walker LMU PEEC Student rwalke22@lion.lmu.edu 27 Makaela Wiederin LMU PEEC Student mwiederi@lion.lmu.edu

Local Water Agency

Name Organization Address Phone & Email

Walter Zeisl Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

111 N. Hope Street #1531 P.O. Box 51111 Los Angeles, CA 90051

213-367- 1342 Walter.Zeisl@ladwp.com

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ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

Loyola Marymount University (LMU)

There are 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, and Loyola Marymount University ranks eighth largest in the nation. The University is comprised of four colleges, the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, the College of Business Administration, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, and the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering, as well as the School of Education, School of Film and Television and Loyola Law School. The University offers more than 30 Master's degree programs, a doctoral program in education and a Juris Doctor degree.

Founded by the Society of Jesus, Loyola College of Los Angeles was incorporated in 1918 and gained university status in 1930. Forty-three years later, Loyola University merged with neighboring Marymount College to become Loyola Marymount University. Loyola Marymount University provides students the opportunity to expand their learning through higher- level education inspired by the principles and morals of the Jesuits, the Marymount Sisters, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. The beliefs of these religious orders helped shape the University’s mission: “the encouragement of learning, the education of the whole person, the service of faith and the promotion of justice.” LMU is dedicated to encouraging students to become “men and women for others.” LMU students continues to volunteer more than 175,000 service hours with 350 non-profit organizations. Students also reach additional communities through community-based learning, academic courses, alternative breaks, and other volunteer opportunities.

LMU is committed to providing students with a humanistic, liberal arts education that fosters a desire for knowledge, cultivates the skills necessary for a lifetime of personal and professional growth, and emphasizes leadership in creating a just world. With its rich intellectual and cultural heritage as a Catholic university, LMU strives to engage its students in ethical discourse and to build an intercultural community among its faculty, students and staff. With 6,162 undergraduates and 2,099 graduate students, Loyola Marymount University has been commended in national college rankings for its quality of education, student life and curricula, including ranking 3rd in the West among Master's universities in the U.S. News & World Report's “Best Colleges of 2015.” In the last edition of the Princeton Review’s “Best 380 Colleges,” LMU was recognized as having the happiest students (17th), one of the most beautiful campuses (11th), and having a student body that is most engaged in community service (7th).

Under the direction of Dean Tina Choe, Ph.D., the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering strives to deliver science, engineering and mathematics education through transformative teaching, hands-on mentoring and opportunities for research, service and community engagement. According to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 Best College Rankings, LMU Seaver College ranked #28 among 203 university engineering programs for “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.” Seaver College is student-centered and committed to the education of the whole person. Indeed, a hallmark of Seaver College is to provide small class sizes that foster close interactions with the faculty. Seaver College prides itself on its academic rigor, interdisciplinary offerings, close mentoring of students by faculty, and sophisticated and original undergraduate research. The college currently serves 1,148 undergraduate students.

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Program for an Engineering Education Community (PEEC)

PEEC is an LMU service-oriented living learning community program for first-year freshman engineering students in the LMU Seaver College of Science and Engineering. PEEC students take two engineering courses together: Introduction to Engineering and Problem Solving (ENGR 100) and Exploring Engineering (ENGR 198). The ENGR 100 and 198 courses are designed to provide PEEC students with the required insight and tools to succeed in engineering. A key element of the courses is a community-based service project, where teams of students plan, design, build and analyze a beneficial project in collaboration with non-profit agencies in the Los Angeles area. In addition, the two courses provide an introduction to areas of study, highlight career opportunities, and assist in acquiring the skills and information necessary to succeed in engineering. The one semester unit ENGR 198 seminar course runs in the spring semester as a continuation to the fall ENGR 100 course and involves the planning and implementation of a group service project in the community.

PEEC has been successful in the past with various community-based project. Particularly relevant to the WWF objectives, the 2012 PEEC class designed and installed greywater filtration and irrigation system for the Alexandria House, a transient women’s shelter in Los Angeles. In addition, in the last cycle of WWF grants, LMU’s engineering student designed and implemented a water filtration project in El Salvador and water pump and treat system in Malawi. As this year’s PEEC project, the team is developing a partnership with the HSRC in Encino, CA to design and implement a greywater treatment and irrigation system on the premises.

Holy Spirit Retreat Center (HSRC)

Holy Spirit Retreat Center is a non-profit organization founded by the Sisters of Social Service of Los Angeles at the request of Archbishop Cantwell in the early 1930s. It was the first retreat center for women in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and it was located in the mid-Wilshire district. In 1969 the Center was moved to its current location in Encino, CA. From 1950 until 1969, the Encino property was used as a place of formation for women who felt called to the Sisters of Social Service. Approximately 17,000 people of all ages and backgrounds visit the center each year to refresh their spirits and to soak in the quiet and wooded beauty of this place.

Because of its location and the beauty of the grounds, the Center began to expand in its new surroundings. Weekend retreats for women continued but extensive outreach was done to offer support and a place of peace to the divorced, widowed, single parents, and disabled, including those from Jewish and Buddhist groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Alanon, and Adult Children of Alcoholics.

The Sisters of Social Service were founded in Budapest, Hungary in 1923 and were involved with housing Jewish families and individuals during the Nazi invasion. Jewish women were taken in by the sisters and dressed to look like members of the community. The sisters taught them basic Catholic doctrine so they could pass themselves off as Catholic, in the event that they were questioned by the Nazis or the Arrow Cross. The foundress of the Sisters of Social Service, Sister Margaret Slacta, was responsible for saving over 1,000 people. Another one of the sisters, Sister Sara Salkahazi, was executed by the

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pro-Nazi Arrow Cross police state for hiding Jewish women and children in her working women’s house in Budapest. Before her death she was able to save over 300 individuals. Both women are members of the Yad Vashem, founded after World War II to honor gentiles who endangered or gave their lives to save the lives of Jewish people during the war.

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE

Below is the Certificate of Attendance for the World Water Forum event on October 16, 2015. Brianna Pagan, former LMU student, was approved by Benita Horn to attend on behalf of both LMU and UCLA. In addition, John Dorsey attended for LMU (not included).

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

1. INTRODUCTION

California is amidst a severe multi-year drought experiencing the lowest calendar year precipitation in 2013 of the observed 119-year record (Swain et al., 2014). In addition to extremely dry conditions, the region has exhibited elevated temperatures which increases evaporative demands and decreases the fraction of precipitation falling as snow, worsening the drought (Weiss et al, 2009). This is especially significant for water resources in semi-arid regions of Southern California which are heavily reliant on imported water originating from snowpack, accounting for 60-70% of total supplies (Freeman, 2008). Approximately 75% of water discharge comes from spring snowmelt primarily controlled by precipitation and temperature (Cayan, 1996).

Due to the co-occurrence of heightened temperatures and below average precipitation, Sierra Nevada April 1 snow depth was just 5% of average in 2015 resulting in reservoir levels at just 58% capacity as of November 2015 (CDEC, 2015). This had direct impacts on water resources to Southern California. The State Water Project transports water from the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary in the Western United States, to Southern California serving two-thirds of state’s population (Gleick and Chalecki, 1999; Cloern et al., 2011). Due to the drought and the need to protect endangered fish species in the Delta, the California Department of Water Resources (CA DWR) announced for the first time that allocations from the State Water Project would be zero percent in January 2014, eventually increased to just 5% (CA DWR, 2014-1; CA DWR, 2014-2). During the past century, approximately 0.5 to 1.5 °C of warming has been observed over the Western United States (IPCC, 2013). Temperatures are expected to continue to rise as a result of climate change, increasing the probability of co-occurring dry and warm years which can cause exceptional droughts (Rauscher et al., 2008; Diffenbaugh, Swain and Touma, 2015).

Limitations exist for each imported source of water supply to Southern California regardless of drought conditions. Average 2006-2015 State Water Project allocations averaged just 49% (CA DWR, 2015). The Colorado River, serving 30 million people across seven states and Mexico, is well known to be severely over allocated as water allotments were calculated during a particularly wet period in the early 20th century (Ficklin, Stewart and Maurer, 2013; Christensen et al., 2004; Woodhouse, Gray and Meko, 2006). Lastly, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power must limit withdrawals from the Mono Lake and Owens Valley basins to the Los Angeles Aqueduct due to human and environmental health mitigation measures (Fuller and Harhay, 2010). It is therefore vital to find alternative and local water supply solutions to sustain Southern California in both normal and dry years.

As the reservoirs run low, so do urban ponds and lakes. HSRC has a 0.25 acre lake typically filled by a combination of potable water and rainwater. Due to the severity of the drought, they have allowed the lake to run dry. Not only does this impact the spiritual benefit and overall experience of the center’s visitors, it also adversely affects wildlife in the region that depend on the lake for water and habitat. Prior to running the dry, the center spent approximately $2,000 per month on potable water to maintain the lake water level. With the proposed project, we aim to install a stormwater capture and greywater

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filtration treatment system to refill the lake. While we cannot make a difference on a large scale, our water conservation system for HSRC is one of many steps that can be taken to reduce the impact of the drought on both human and wildlife.

A greywater system is a simple and practical mechanism that allows used water from household appliances and fixtures to be repurposed for outdoor use such as irrigation. Greywater may come from sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, bathtubs, and showers. It may not be sourced from toilets or anything that comes into contact with human waste (known as blackwater). Impurities ranging from dirt, grease, biological material (hair, skin, etc.), lint, and soaps are generally present in greywater, but they are removed through a filtration process.

There are two types of greywater, each requiring different levels of treatment: Light and dark. Light greywater originates from bathroom sinks, showers, bathtubs, and clothes washing machines and thus may contain detergents, skin or hair follicles, dust, lint, and other particles found in clothes. Because this water contains minimal amounts of pathogens and organic material, rigorous treatment is not necessary. A simple filtration mechanism such as a sand filter or wetland system generally suffices to remove the impurities. The second type of greywater collects used water from kitchen sinks and dishwashers. Such water may contain more biological material from food residue as well as high levels of salts requiring a greater level of treatment. In the proposed project, we will use light greywater from the laundry facilities and filter it through a wetland to fill the small lake. In addition, we aim to divert additional stormwater from rooftops on the premises into the lake.

2. OBJECTIVES

The LMU PEEC students plan to conduct a full reparation of the retreat center’s artificial lake as well as implement a stormwater capture and greywater system that will maintain its water level (Figure 1). Currently, the 23 freshmen engineering students are divided into three teams that will each address the water budget, lake repair, and water treatment & permitting.

The specific goals of this project are to: 1) Increase water input with the addition of a greywater system that will provide

repurposed and treated washing machine water; 2) Divert stormwater from the premises into the lake by modifying roof downspouts

and gutter flow; 3) Construct a small wetland water treatment system to treat greywater. 4) Minimize water loss by sealing and repairing the lake bottom; 5) Construct a small artificial island in the lake to provide a safe haven for migrating

birds vulnerable to predators such as coyotes; and 6) Provide educational information about the benefits of water savings and the basics

of greywater systems.

The project meets WWF objectives “to increase college students’ understanding of water supply and quality, equitable access to fresh water and sanitation and water conservation issues.” In addition, students will be exposed to “the associated environmental, economic and political impacts in Southern California or internationally

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water-stressed regions.” WWF key objectives one through four are directly or indirectly addressed.

Figure 1: Map of the 10-acre HSRC site. The lake is shaded in yellow, the buildings in green, impervious driveways and parking lots in blue, and woody and landscaped areas in purple. The laundry room is located at the red/orange star and the blue/yellow stare is the proposed location of the wetland. The red box holds an area of 40,000 ft2 (0.9 acres; 3,700 m2) and can be considered a scale with each side of the box measuring 200 ft. North is upwards on the map.

3. PROJECT DESIGN

In order to meet the project goals, the following project tasks will be performed: 1) Develop a monthly water budget model of the lake; 2) Remove lake bed sediment and repair lakebed cracks; 3) Design and construct an artificial island; 4) Design and construct stormflow diversions into the lake; 5) Design and install pipes to divert washing machine water to the treatment system; 6) Design and construct a wetland filtration system to treat washing machine water; 7) Obtain permits required by the Department of Building and Safety.

Each of the tasks are described below subsections, proceeded by an estimate of the lake’s current and potential water budgets.

3.1. WATER BUDGET

In order to complete an analysis of the lake water budget, information on the site topography and building plan, estimates of precipitation and evaporation, and washing machine usage were required. The topographic and building plan information were obtained from NavigateLA maintained by the City of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Engineering

Laundry Facilities

Wetland Location

Lake

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Department of Public Works (LADPW). Precipitation data were obtained from LADPW’s Water Resources Division and the evaporation estimates from the Western Regional Climate Center. The water budget for the lake can be estimated by the following equation:

∆𝑆𝑆∆𝑡𝑡

= 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 + 𝑊𝑊 + 𝑀𝑀 − 𝐸𝐸𝑃𝑃 − 𝑄𝑄 − 𝐹𝐹 where S is the change in water storage over the time interval t, A is the lake area, P is precipitation falling on the lake, W is the water added by the washing machines, M is the water added by municipal supply, E is the evaporation loss from the lake, Q is the stormflow runoff generated on the property entering the lake, and F is the seepage through the lake bottom. If the lake is to be maintain at a constant water level, the change in storage term goes to zero. Therefore, the amount of water required from municipal supply can be estimated as follows:

𝑀𝑀 = −(𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 + 𝑊𝑊 − 𝐸𝐸𝑃𝑃 − 𝑄𝑄 − 𝐹𝐹) In a typical year, the site receives around 16 inches of precipitation and the lake loses approximately 120 inches in evaporation. At current, little of the site’s runoff from rooftops, driveways, and walkways is diverted to the lake. Furthermore, losses through the lake bed bottom are on the order of evaporation. As a result, simply repairing and sealing the lake bottom will result in substantial water savings. With the lake sealed and assuming no precipitation, the lake water requirements would be approximately 1.6 acre per year based on the evaporation estimate.

At HSRC, on average 12 loads of laundry are done per day using four washing machines. Three of the washing machines are high efficiency using approximate 20 gallons per load and one is standard efficiency requiring about 40 gallons per load. This water will result in approximately 0.3 acre-feet per year (Table 1). Since the water will be going into a lake, it will require treatment (see below). In addition, stormwater capture from the site’s rooftops, driveways and pathways should result in an additional 0.2 and 2.0 acre-feet per year depending on rainfall timing and amounts. This stormwater, however, can only be counted on during winter months when rainfall is highest. As a result, during summer months, when evaporation is highest, considerable municipal water will be required to supplement the greywater. As part of the project, students will program a monthly water budget model to develop more precise estimate of the lake’s water requirements. Table 1: Partial annual water budget estimate for the lake at HSRC based on an lake area of 0.24 acres. All units are in acre-feet per year. Evaporative Losses

from Lake Seepage Losses

from Lake Bottom Greywater from

Washing Machines Stormwater

Capture Potential 1.6 ~1 to 2 0.3 0.2 to 2.0

3.2. SEALING OF THE LAKE BOTTOM

As mentioned in the previous subsection, seepage losses from the lake are on the order of evaporative losses, which are estimated to be 1.6 acre-feet per year. Currently, the lake bed is concrete, but is severely cracked and requires repair. As the bed is covered with up to 2 feet of sediment, the current state of the damage to the concrete is unknown (Figure 2). Excavation will be required to survey the cracks to better assess the amount of

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materials needed to fix the damage. It is important to note that since an island will be constructed in the lake, the sediment will remain on site and be used in the construction of the island.

Once the lake bottom is cleared of sediment, there are a couple of options for repairing the lake bottom. The first and preferred option is to use concrete-waterproofing and sealing products – Waterplug and Thoroseal, respectively. Waterplug is a hydraulic cement made “to instantly stop running water or leaks through concrete or masonry.” It is certified for use in drinking water systems and expands as it hardens to make a tight and permanent seal. One 2.5-pound can of Waterplug will fill 70 inches of cracks in the concrete at a depth of ¾ inches and a width of ¾ inches. Thoro’s website claims that the Waterplug seal can withstand a force of 4,000 psi. This assures that the seal will hold under the weight of the water.

After all the cracks are filled with the Waterplug, Thoroseal will be applied to the entire concrete surface of the lake bottom. Thoroseal must be mixed with Acryl 60, also sold by Thoro, and can be spread or sprayed to cover the surface evenly. It works by filling all the pores, holes, minor cracks, and surface irregularities in the concrete to create a protective seal over the entire surface. It is a cement-based mix made to be used on concrete slabs very much like the bottom of the lake. The use of these Thoro products appears the most cost effective solution for creating a lasting watertight seal for the lake.

If, upon further inspection, the concrete is too damaged to repair, a pond liner will be used to cover the concrete. Pond liners have advantages over the Waterplug and Thoroseal solution (such as resistance to new damage over time), but are more expensive. If additional donors can be found, which is fairly likely given the nature of the project, the team may opt to install a pond liner with the additional funds.

Figure 2: Photo of a portion of the lake, now dry. Photo taken by LMU team.

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3.3. CONSTRUCTION OF THE ISLAND

For this project, a small island will be created to provide a safe haven for birds using the lake bed sediment (Figure 2). Based on estimates of the lake sediment depths, the soil volume available for the island is on the order of 300 cubic yards. The island will be created in the shape of an elliptical conical frustum (Figure 3). The depth of water in the lake does not exceed 5 feet, requiring that the island be at least 7 feet in height from the lake bottom. The base of the island will have approximately major and minor diameters of 20 and 25 feet and the top will have major and minor diameters of 10 and 15 feet. The total volume of the island will be approximately 70 cubic yards.

Once the shape of the island is formed with the soil, pressure treated wood will be used to surround its sides. In addition, layer of Polypavement will be added as a final coating to harden the soil and make it resistant to erosion. Polypavement is cost efficient and non-toxic to plants and animals.

Figure 3: Proposed shape of island. The diameters D1, D2, D3, and D4 are approximately 10 ft, 15 ft, 20 ft, and 25 ft, respectively. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frustum_of_a_cone.jpg

3.4. STORMWATER DIVERSIONS

An important aspect of the project is to divert stormwater from the rooftops and impervious surfaces into the lake. HSRC is located 10 acres of hilly wooded land, with about 7 acres of the land above the lake elevation (Figure 1). Not all of the 7 acres, however, is feasible to use to divert stormflow to the lake due to proximity and land cover types. Rooftop and driveway/pathway area from the west side of the property, which contribute approximately 0.5 and 0.25 acres, respectively, will be used to divert stormwater. Assuming that 95% of rainfall can be captured from rooftops and concrete, the 0.75 acres should generate between 0.2 and 2.0 acre-feet per year of runoff depending on the seasonality and volume of rainfall.

To capture the rainwater from the rooftops, the gutter and downspout systems on two, possibly three, of the buildings will be rerouted. The two buildings adjacent to the lake are on the hillside requiring no modifications to the water flow paths. The third building, where the laundry facilities are located, has a trench that leads to the lake requiring only minimal modifications.

3.5. GREYWATER DIVERSIONS

In this phase of the project, water from the washing machines will be diverted to a wetland filtration system and ultimately to the lake (Figure 1). This process requires that

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new 1 ½ inch pipe be placed under the building where the washing machines located, under a driveway, and to the wetland. If allowed by the Department of Building and Safety regulations, the same system to divert flow from the rooftop will be used to divert the laundry water.

3.6. WETLAND FILTRATION SYSTEM

Greywater sourced from the retreat center washing machines must undergo a minor filtration process as required by the City of Los Angeles. The ultimate quality of the water must be held to high standards because it will collect the lake where it will come into contact with the environment and wildlife. It is important to note that the lake is not used for extensive human contact or recreation such as swimming. In addition, greywater compatible biodegradable laundry detergents must be used at all times.

Greywater can be treated in a variety of ways, many of which are cost-effective and simple to construct and maintain. Water from the washing machines will travel through pipes to collect in a surge tank containing the filtration system. The surge tank is not intended to store the water, only to clean it. The treated water will then be transported to the lake through pipes via gravity.

The preferred option for filtering the greywater is to use a wetland filtration system (Figure 4). A wetland filter is a bog or pool with plants and other materials like sand and topsoil that is contained in an area based on the amount of water to be treated. According to Jenkins (2005), one cubic meter of wetland can treat 135 liters of greywater. The average daily volume of greywater in the system is 100 gallons. With a 50% factor of safety (150 gallons per day), the wetland volume will be 5.5 cubic yards (150 cubic feet). The greywater will flow from the washing machines to the wetland filter where the plants and sand will treat any harmful substances before entering the pond.

Figure 4: Schematic of a wetland system to treat stormwater and greywater. Image obtained from http://fiesta.bren.ucsb.edu/~chiapas2/Water%20Management_files/Greywater%20Wetlands-1.pdf.

3.7. PERMITS

This project will require approval from the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety before it can be implemented. A permit is required if the greywater system collects water from sinks, showers, or baths, alters the plumbing, cuts into the drainage plumbing, uses a pump other than the internal washing machine pump, or if the

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system is for a building housing more than two families. As a result, the proposed project will require permits.

The required permits will include a Utility permit, Excavation permit, and Plumbing permit. The Utility and Excavation permits are issued for construction, maintenance, or removal of facilities that require vertical boring. Furthermore, according to the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, a Plumbing permit is required prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, installation, relocation or alteration of any greywater system. Permit 1603A.0 is a written construction permit obtained by the Enforcing Agency prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, installation, relocation, or alteration of a greywater system. Permit 1604A.O requires the submittal of the greywater system plans in order to ensure that the requirements are met.

In addition to the aforementioned permits, other permits may be required if more changes present must be made. For example, if changes to the master plan of the building(s) are to be made, a permit is required. The team must also be cautious about the areas of digging. Removing the lake sediments to expose the concrete should not create a huge issue; however, if a wetland system is to be installed, pipelines below ground must be considered and calling 811 will inform the team if digging is possible.

The following is a list of permits potentially required for the project: • Permit 1603.0A State of California Enforcing Agency to construct, reconstruct,

relocate or alter greywater system. • 1602.5 Plot Plan Submission. Need to submit plot submission of greywater system

and gain approval. • Permit allowing greywater in lake. • Call 811 for digging • Work on private property requires permit from LA Building and Safety.

4. QUANTITATIVE, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS

4.1. QUANTITATIVE BENEFITS

On average, HSRC uses four washing machines to clean linens and towels from their guest rooms. Three of the washing machines are high water efficiency, while one is standard efficiency. On average, 12 loads of laundry are done per day. This water will result in approximately 0.3 acre-feet per year. Simply sealing the lake bottom will likely reduce lake seepage losses on the order of the evaporative losses which are 1.6 acre-feet per year (See Quantitative Benefits chart). In addition, stormwater capture from rooftops, driveways, and pathways has to the potential to add 0.9 to 2.0 acre-feet per year depending on the amount and timing of rainfall. While these numbers are somewhat uncertain, the project has the potential to save on the order of 3 acre-feet per year of potable water in a typical year. Since this water will not enter the stormwater systems, the project will provide additional flood protection and “natural” water treatment. Furthermore, water savings educational information placed at the lake and wetland to inspire HSRC’s 14,000 annual guests to apply conservation measures of their own.

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4.2. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Despite its small size, many types of birds would benefit from the restoration of HSRC’s lake. There are 21 different species of birds that are typically spotted in Southern California in pond and lakeside habitats including the Canada goose gadwall, American wigeon mallard, cinnamon teal, and northern shoveler (Santa Barbara County 2010). Furthermore, California is in the middle of the great bird migration from Alaska to South America and back each year. Migrating birds stop in California to rest and feed. Before the industrialization of California, its wetlands were home to 40 to 80 million birds. At current, however, 95% of its wetlands removed for human use making it difficult for birds to find a place to rest. In addition, with California’s recent drought, many birds find it increasingly difficult to rest on the great migration to and from South America (Nature Conservancy 2015).

Not only is the project considered beneficial to the birds of the southern California region; it also has many other water conservation benefits. The lake is placed in an area that has gone through a consistent drought for many years. Since the lake, as a result of the proposed project, will be supplied primarily through stormwater and greywater, more water can remain in the natural ecosystem or be used for other human uses.

4.3. EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS

There are many expected educational benefits of this project. Firstly, this greywater project will set an example for future student-driven engineering projects, especially for students participating in PEEC. Such a feat may also encourage other students to pursue engineering, or become interested in addressing and solving real world problems. Secondly, this will spread awareness of the potential of greywater systems, especially during a serious drought.

As aspiring engineers, planning for and implementing a greywater system would give PEEC students much needed experience in solving real world problems. By fully engaging in the design and construction processes, the students will learn to work cooperatively and think critically to achieve the most effective and economical greywater system and lake repair process. Not only would this project advance the education of future engineering students, the HSRC would receive a full repair of its lake bed and a greywater system that will fill said lake with repurposed washing machine water. Ultimately, the retreat center would be able to cut back on its water consumption, yet still maintain a lake on its property during a drought.

As HSRC hosts approximately 14,000 guests per year. The proposed project provides an excellent opportunity to educate its guests about the benefits of water savings. In this regard, we propose to install educational plaques around the lake and wetland, each containing information about the how the greywater and wetland filtration systems work. Furthermore, the plaques will provide a background on our wetland filtration system and its ecological benefits regarding the filtration of water. In addition, the project will likely to be featured in the school newspaper, the Loyolan, which holds a readership of about 5,000 a week. There is also the possibility of this project being featured in local newspapers and newsletters, such as the Argonaut and Daily News.

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5. TEAM QUALIFICATIONS

PEEC Engineering Students – See description in Organization Background.

Jeremy Pal, PhD is a professor of civil engineering and environmental science at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Los Angeles. His courses include water resources, hydrology, climate change, and sustainable engineering. His research interests are in hydro-climatology; water resources; agriculture; flood and drought; climate change and variability; and earth system modeling. He received his BS from LMU and MS/PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to joining the LMU faculty, he worked for the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy, an institute that operates under two United Nations Agencies with the mission to foster the growth of research in developing nations. He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and was a contributing author to “Climate Change 2007,” an assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.

Sandra Luca, PhD is the Director of Student Engagement for the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering and PEEC coordinator. She earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Joseph Reichenberger, PE, a professor of civil engineering in the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering, specializes in water quality management and wastewater treatment system design. He has worked and consulted extensively on local water issues and policy. Prior to joining the LMU faculty, he served as vice president and regional manager for Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. in Pasadena. Reichenberger also serves as a director of the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and formerly was a commissioner on the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority.

6. TIMELINE

The project is expected to take 1.5 years, or three semesters and a summer (Table 2). The team will finalize the design for LADBS and obtain permits in the Spring 2016 semester. Table 2: Proposed project timeline. Semester 2016 2017 Project Task Spring Fall Summer Spring Final Design Permitting Excavation of Lake Lake Bottom Repair Island Construction Stormwater Diversions Graywater Piping Wetland Educational Plaques

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7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA DWR (2014-1). 2014 State Water Project Allocation - Zero Percent. Notice to State Water Project Contractors. Accessed: 17 December 2015. Available at: http://water.ca.gov/swpao/docs/notices/14-02.pdf

CA DWR (2014-2). 2014 State Water Project Allocation - Five Percent. Notice to State Water Project Contractors.

Accessed: 17 December 2015. Available at: http://water.ca.gov/swpao/docs/notices/14-07.pdf

CA DWR (2015). SWPAO - Notice to Contractors. Notice to State Water Project Contractors.

Accessed: 17 December 2015. Available at: http://water.ca.gov/swpao/notices.cfm

Cayan DR (1996). Interannual climate variability and snowpack in the western United States. Journal of Climate

9(5):928-948.

CDEC (2015). Snow Course Measurements for APril 2015. Accessed: 17 December 2015. Available at:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/COURSES.04

Christensen, N. S., A. W. Wood, N. Voisin, D. P. Lettenmaier, and R. N. Palmer (2004). 'The effects of climate change on the hydrology and water resources of the Colorado River basin', Climatic Change, 62: 337-63.

Cloern, J. E., N. Knowles, L. R. Brown, D. Cayan, M. D. Dettinger, T. L. Morgan, D. H. Schoellhamer, M. T. Stacey, M. van der Wegen, R. W. Wagner, and A. D. Jassby (2011). 'Projected evolution of California's San Francisco Bay-Delta-river system in a century of climate change', PLoS One, 6: e24465.

Diffenbaugh, Noah S, Daniel L Swain, and Danielle Touma (2015). 'Anthropogenic warming has increased drought risk in California', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112: 3931-36.

Ficklin, D. L., I. T. Stewart, and E. P. Maurer (2013). 'Climate change impacts on streamflow and subbasin-scale hydrology in the Upper Colorado River Basin', PLoS One, 8: e71297.

Freeman G (2008). Securing Reliable Water Supplies for Southern California.

Fuller, Amy C, and Michael O Harhay (2010). 'Population growth, climate change and water scarcity in the southwestern United States', American journal of environmental sciences, 6: 249.

Gleick, P. H., and E. L. Chalecki (1999). 'The impacts of climatic changes for water resources of the Colorado and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basins', Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 35: 1429-41.

Jenkins, Joseph. Humanure Handbook. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2005.

IPCC (2013). Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

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Change [Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 1535 pp.

Nature Conservancy, 2015: The Global Benefits of Saving the Pacific Flyway. http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/california/howwework/california-migratory-birds.xml

Rauscher, S. A., J. S. Pal, N. S. Diffenbaugh, and M. M. Benedetti (2008). 'Future changes in snowmelt-driven runoff timing over the western US', Geophysical Research Letters, 35.

Santa Barbara County, 2010: Tom Bennett Art and Environmental Science Contest 2010 San Bernardino County Museum Association. Migration Madness Migratory Birds of Inland Southern California. http://www.sbcounty.gov/museum/discover/divisions/education/pdf/waf2010/20101005_migratory_birds_of_inland_southern_california.pdf

Swain, D. L., M. Tsiang, M. Haugen, D. Singh, A. Charland, B. Rajaratnam, and N. S. Diffenbaugh. 2014. 'The extraordinary California drought of 2013-2014: character, context, and the role of climate change', Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 95: S3-S7.

Weiss, Jeremy L, Christopher L Castro, and Jonathan T Overpeck. 2009. 'Distinguishing pronounced droughts in the southwestern United States: seasonality and effects of warmer temperatures', Journal of Climate, 22: 5918-32.

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8. APPENDIX

8.1. LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM HSRC

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IDENTIFYING QUANTITATIVE BENEFIT PROJECTIONS

PERFORMANCE MEASURE QUANTITATIVE OUTCOME

LOCAL / GLOBAL IMPACT

Makes More Water Available 3 Acre Feet/Year Local

Provides Water Conservation and / or Hygiene/Public Health Education

17,000 People/Students Local

Cost associated with each of the physical quantitative outcomes above

$4,300/AF/yr $0.76/person Local

BUDGET

The project is estimated to cost $12,937, with $2,937 to be covered by LMU. In the case the project goes over budget, additional funds will be sought and secured from other foundations.

DESCRIPTION AMOUNT NOTES GRANT FUNDS REQUESTED

$10,000

ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF FUNDS (List all, if applicable)

$2,937 DATE ISSUED (Iif applicable)

PROJECT TOTAL $12,937

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SIGNATURE BLOCK