Around LADWP
Power System Captures Donors Welfare Campaign Trophy
LADWP employees across all systems rose to the challenge during the 2022 Donors’ Welfare Campaign, which ran from October 6 to November 10. Donations from the campaign help support a variety of employee assistance programs and organizations including the Downed Workers Program, Emergency Assistance Loans, Dolls ‘N’ Toys Holiday Program, 32 local charities, employee clubs and recreational activities, and many more programs.
The campaign’s Recognition and Awards Presentation was held on February 1. General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin L. Adams presented the Power System with the Donors’ Welfare Plan trophy in recognition for being the system with the highest combined new and increased payroll deduction contributions. Senior Assistant General Manager Brian Wilbur accepted the trophy on behalf of the employees of the Power System.
Employees are looking forward to the 2023 campaign, and it is not too late to give. You can sign up by contacting the Employees Association or simply completing a contribution card available at www.ladwpea.org.
Photo by Art Mochizuki
Customers Receive $85 Million in Utility Bill Assistance
LADWP completed distribution of $85 million in utility bill assistance funds to eligible residential customers as part of our efforts to continue to help Angelenos catch up on their unpaid, past due electricity and city sanitation bills. The funds were credited to the utility accounts of eligible customers over the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend.
Of the $85 million, $76 million in credits were distributed directly to 137,478 LADWP customers provided through the State of California’s 2022 California Arrearage Payment Program (2022 CAPP). LADWP also distributed $9 million in credits to 31,425 LA City Sanitation customers provided through the City’s Solid Resource Fee Relief Program. Customers can view their specific credit amounts on the LADWP My Account online portal, or when they receive their next LADWP utility bill.
Recognizing the devastating financial impacts of the pandemic on families, this relief is the result of LADWP’s aggressive pursuit and implementation of every resource available to assist its customers.
Read more on LADWP News.
Photo by Chris Corsmeier
Cascades Rehab Project Finishes On-Time
The construction of the Cascades as the terminus point of the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed and inaugurated by William Mulholland on November 5, 1913. After over a hundred years of conveying water to the City of Los Angeles, it was decided the concrete-lined channel needed major rehabilitation. The construction support, design, schedule and budget for the First Los Angeles Aqueduct Cascades Rehabilitation Project was prepared by LADWP’s Aqueduct’s Southern District Engineering Group, led by Abebaw Anbessaw. Construction was completed entirely in-house by Aqueduct’s Mojave Construction Group. Beginning in the fall of 2020, this historical infrastructure project finished on time in December 2022.
Working on structures and systems that are over a hundred years old always calls for some inventiveness. In one portion of the 700 foot long channel, reinforced concrete side walls were constructed with a specifically designed roller, which is mounted on tractors to create smooth finished surfaces.
The success of the Cascades rehabilitation resulted from the collaboration among the Aqueduct Section’s Mojave Construction group, including the Northern District Construction Crew, Engineering, Aqueduct Operations, Fleet, Supply Chain Services (Stores) and Power System Operations.
Water Distribution Crew Addresses Customer Needs
When LADWP Water and Power crews are out in the field, they understand the importance of making each customer feel valued. Recently, a crew from the Water Distribution Division (WDD) received praise for their work on a project in the Harbor District.
An LADWP customer reached out to her brother Keith Saddler, who happens to be a retired LADWP employee, regarding concerns about construction work for a mainline replacement being done near her home on 67th Street. Keith was prepared to hear a complaint, but when he returned his sister’s call, he found her in good spirits with her concerns resolved. She explained that Water Utility Supervisor Leslie Peacock had assured her that the project would not affect her ability to enter and exit her driveway. When Water Utility Supervisor Luis Huerta came onto the project, he reached out to the customer to make sure to address any additional concerns she had. In response to the crew’s excellent customer service efforts, Keith reached out to express his family’s gratitude for how the crew addressed his sister’s needs as well as the rest of the neighborhood’s. In addition to Peacock and Huerta, the crew included Senior Water Utility Worker Ruben Mendoza, Water Utility Workers Christian Rogers and Steve Martin, Maintenance and Construction Helper David Valle, Equipment Operator Robert Brown and Utility Pre-Craft Trainee Kahllid Al Aliim.
This project is part of WDD’s Mainline Replacement Program. The goal is to install 25,500 feet of pipe, all while providing excellent customer service. It’s safe to say our crews are well on their way to achieving this goal.
Photo by Art Mochizuki
Group photo by Art Mochizuki
LARUVDP and Water Division Engineers Recognized
LADWP was recently honored with two awards for the engineering and construction of the Los Angeles Reservoir Ultraviolet Disinfection Plant (LARUVDP) – recognizing Los Angeles’ dedication to providing high quality water in the face of the current drought. One of these awards is from the Engineering News-Record (ENR) SOCAL 2022 Best Projects contest’s Award of Merit in the Water/Environment category. The other is from the American Society of Civil Engineers – Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch’s and LA Section’s (ASCE MLAB) Outstanding Environmental Engineering Project of the Year.
Three LADWP Water division engineers, Civil Engineering Associates Andres Perez, Ani R. Sarkissian and Ruwanka Purasinghe, also received awards from ASCE. Bottom photo, from left, Purasinghe was recognized with the ASCE LA Section Carl Blum Award, which is given to an individual who has made a lasting positive impact on young engineers and early career professionals. Sarkissian received the Daniel W. Mead Prize for Younger Members for the paper “Informed, Inclusive, and Innovative: A New Code of Ethics.” Perez was named the 2022 Outstanding Civil Engineer in Community Service by the ASCE L.A. Section for his outreach to over 800 LAUSD students this past year through hands-on activities, mentorship programs and career fairs.
LADWP Architecture Featured on L.A. in a Minute
Recently, various LADWP buildings were highlighted for their stunning architecture by Evan Lovett from L.A. in a Minute. The video (watch to the right) features various LADWP facilities around the city, and discusses the architectural intricacies and history of the buildings. L.A. in a Minute is Lovett’s social media handle for Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, where he has over 100k followers. He creates various videos for his social platforms that cover a wide range of topics around L.A. These topics include the history of different parts of the city, L.A. architecture and infrastructure, events happening around the city, local celebrities and more. LADWP has reached out to Lovett about future potential collaborations that highlight other lesser-known facilities and factoids about LADWP that would be of interest to Angelenos.
LADWP Architecture Featured on L.A. in a Minute
Recently, various LADWP buildings were highlighted for their stunning architecture by Evan Lovett from L.A. in a Minute. The video (watch below) features various LADWP facilities around the city, and discusses the architectural intricacies and history of the buildings. L.A. in a Minute is Lovett’s social media handle for Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, where he has over 100k followers. He creates various videos for his social platforms that cover a wide range of topics around L.A. These topics include the history of different parts of the city, L.A. architecture and infrastructure, events happening around the city, local celebrities and more. LADWP has reached out to Lovett about future potential collaborations that highlight other lesser-known facilities and factoids about LADWP that would be of interest to Angelenos.
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This publication is written and published by the Corporate Strategy and Communications Division. For other 2022 issues, click the three horizontal lines icon next to the Contact logo at the top left of the document. Then click the “Editions” tab. For issues from 2000-2021, see Intranet page MyDWP/.
