Los Angeles Waterkeeper

Los Angeles Waterkeeper LA's Water Watchdog Since 1993. Los Angeles Waterkeeper safeguards LA County's inland and coastal waters by enforcing laws and empowering communities.

L.A.'s Clean Water Advocate

When many of our environmental laws were written, the biggest threats came from smokestacks and factory pipes. 🏭Today, i...
08/31/2026

When many of our environmental laws were written, the biggest threats came from smokestacks and factory pipes. 🏭

Today, it's a different story.

PFAS can accumulate in groundwater. Battery energy storage facilities carry new environmental risks. Data centers consume vast amounts of water and energy while generating new pressures on local infrastructure.

But many of the laws designed to protect our communities haven't kept pace with these changes. At the same time, recent policy changes have reduced environmental oversight in several areas.

Learn more about why LA Waterkeeper is pushing for stronger protections for our waterways.

https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/our-stories/how-toxic-industry-is-threatening-las-water

For more than 50 years, the Coastal Zone Management Act has given California a powerful tool to protect its coast.Passed...
08/24/2026

For more than 50 years, the Coastal Zone Management Act has given California a powerful tool to protect its coast.

Passed in 1972, the CZMA lets California review federal projects that affect the coast and object when they conflict with state coastal protections.

Now, the Trump administration has ordered NOAA to review California’s coastal practices, citing “environmental extremism.” The review could strip the state of that federal authority, making it easier for offshore drilling, pipelines, and other development to move forward without the same state-level protections.

Earlier this month, LA Waterkeeper joined residents, advocates, scientists, and elected officials at rallies and public hearings to speak out. More than 18,000 written comments were also submitted before NOAA’s August 22 deadline.

Next, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management will review the public record and issue a final performance evaluation determining whether California’s program meets federal requirements, and whether its authority to protect its own coastline remains intact.

The comment period may be over, but this fight isn’t. Share this post so more Californians know what’s at stake.

https://abc7.com/post/dozens-californians-gather-heated-noaa-meeting-oppose-trumps-coastal-plan/19660521/

08/01/2026

Watch. Then act. 🎥

Fernando Gaytan (Earthjustice ), Rabeya Sen (California Environmental Justice Alliance), and Luz Hernandez and Gustavo Gutierrez (Communities For A Better Environment) explain why SB 954 matters — and why California communities must act to regain their right to know what's being built next door.

This week and next are critical. Watch the video, then contact your Assemblymember and tell them: Close the toxic pollution loophole. Pass SB 954 and move it to a floor vote now.

👉 Take action: https://righttoknow-sb954.org/go/yes

07/28/2026

Why does Plastic Free July matter to you? 💙
 
We asked our volunteers what brought them out to clean up and here’s what they had to say.
 
Want to be part of the movement for cleaner, healthier waterways? Head to the link in our bio for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities!

California is currently undergoing a massive data center boom, but the public still lacks basic information about how mu...
07/24/2026

California is currently undergoing a massive data center boom, but the public still lacks basic information about how much water these facilities will use.

Two bills moving through the Legislature could change that. AB 2469 would require developers to disclose projected water use before local governments approve new facilities. AB 2619 would require operators to report actual water use annually once those facilities open.

Communities and local water agencies deserve a complete picture of these projects’ water demands before decisions are made and impacts are locked in. Californians deserve to know the true resource costs of the projects being built in their backyards.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article316507239.html

NOAA says there's an 81% chance this year's El Niño will be very strong. 🌧️For Los Angeles, that means a higher risk of ...
07/21/2026

NOAA says there's an 81% chance this year's El Niño will be very strong. 🌧️

For Los Angeles, that means a higher risk of heavy rainfall. Are we ready?

In a typical year, up to 100 billion gallons of runoff water rushes off concrete streets and into the ocean instead of replenishing our groundwater.

If this El Niño brings a much wetter winter, how much of that water will we capture? How much will we let flow out to sea?

That's why we need to modernize our water infrastructure with nature-based solutions that capture, clean, and store stormwater while reducing flood risk.

Our climate is changing. Our water system needs to change with it.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-13/super-el-nino-is-brewing-how-bad-would-historic-weather-system-get

The amount of plastic emissions from Los Angeles’ rivers underscore a growing challenge for coastal water quality and ma...
07/17/2026

The amount of plastic emissions from Los Angeles’ rivers underscore a growing challenge for coastal water quality and marine ecosystems.

And its origins are largely upstream, from production systems and consumption patterns to inadequate waste management infrastructure.

Addressing this scale of pollution requires both systemic policy change and coordinated community action.

That’s why at LA Waterkeeper, we are working to fight this at the source.

We focus on advocating for upstream solutions that reduce plastic production and prevent pollution from entering our waterways, organizing volunteer cleanups that remove debris before it reaches the ocean, and using cleanup data to inform policy and strengthen regulatory action.

Learn more about how to get involved or collaborate with LA Waterkeeper at lawaterkeeper.org

Just added! 2 new giveaway prizes 💫(1) $25 giftcard to (1) 4-pack juice gift certificate to Our next stop for Plastic Fr...
07/16/2026

Just added! 2 new giveaway prizes 💫

(1) $25 giftcard to
(1) 4-pack juice gift certificate to

Our next stop for Plastic Free July: North Atwater Park! 💧⁠
⁠
🗓️ Saturday, July 18⁠
⏰ 9:00am - 11:00am PDT⁠
📍 3900 Chevy Chase Drive Los Angeles, CA 90039⁠
⁠
We'll remove trash then spend some time looking at the water quality of the LA River. You'll learn about LA River's history and current challenges, and use field kits to determine the river's health and biodiversity.⁠
⁠
This family-friendly event welcomes volunteers from all backgrounds!⁠

https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/events/july-2026-c2c-raft

Our next stop for Plastic Free July: North Atwater Park! 💧🗓️ Saturday, July 18⏰ 9:00am - 11:00am PDT⁠📍 3900 Chevy Chase ...
07/13/2026

Our next stop for Plastic Free July: North Atwater Park! 💧

🗓️ Saturday, July 18
⏰ 9:00am - 11:00am PDT⁠
📍 3900 Chevy Chase Drive Los Angeles, CA 90039

We'll remove trash then spend some time looking at the water quality of the LA River. You'll learn about LA River's history and current challenges, and use field kits to determine the river's health and biodiversity.

This family-friendly event welcomes volunteers from all backgrounds!

https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/events/july-2026-c2c-raft

For more than seven days, firefighters battled the Lineage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, at times pouring roughly 12,...
07/06/2026

For more than seven days, firefighters battled the Lineage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, at times pouring roughly 12,000 gallons of water per minute into the burning facility.

As this runoff moved through the burn site, it carried charred foam insulation, debris, and potentially toxic contaminants into storm drains connected to the LA River.
Researchers from UCLA, Columbia University, and East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice are now testing that runoff for copper, lead, and arsenic.

Their findings could help show what ends up in our waterways after environmental disasters — and who should be held accountable.

Read the full story at:
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-06-27/water-from-boyle-heights-fire-carries-foam-into-la-river

Address

360 E 2nd Street, Ste 250
Los Angeles, CA
90017

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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