Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, Mayor LA Board of Commissioners Department of Mel Levine, President Water & Power Cynthia McClain-Hill, Vice President EEQ Jill Banks Barad Christina E. Noonan CUSTOMERS FIRST Susana Reyes Susan A. Rodriguez, Secretary Martin L. Adams, Interim General Manager and Chief Engineer August 28, 2019 The Honorable City Council c/o Office of the City Clerk Room 395, City Hall Mai! Stop 160 Attention: Councilmember Greig Smith Chair - Information, Technology, and General Services (ITGS) Committee Councilmember David E. Ryu Chair - Health, Education, Neighborhoods, Parks, Arts, and River (HENPAR) Committee Honorable Members: Subject: Council File No. 18-0301 - City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Department of General Services, and Department of Recreation and Parks Report on the Feasibility of Expanding Publicly Accessible Hydration Stations at Parks and Municipal Facilities. Per the April 11, 2018 motion and the June 12, 2019 Information, Technology, and General Services Committee meeting (Enclosure 1), the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Department of General Services (GSD), and Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) are providing their report on the feasibility of expanding publicly accessible hydration stations at their facilities, and LADWP’s role in supporting RAP and GSD. LADWP, GSD, and RAP are working together to meet the Mayor’s New Green Deal goal of installing 200 hydration stations throughout the City of Los Angeles by 2035. A hydration station is any device that dispenses drinking water and must include a bottle filling mechanism or allow for bottles to be filled. This report summarizes the process, including criteria for site selection to expand the installation of hydration stations. Furthermore, the report includes estimates for installation, maintenance, and other related costs. I. Purpose The purpose of the Hydration Station program is to help achieve the goals of: • Providing public access to drinking water; 111 N. Hope Street. Los Angeles. California 90012-2607 Mailing Acldress PQ Box 51111, Los Angeles, CA 90051-5700 Telephone (213) 367-4211 ladwp.com The Honorable City Council Page 2 August 28, 2019 • Improving consumer confidence of drinking tap water; and « Reducing single-use plastic bottle waste. II. Proposed criteria for installation LADWP, GSD, and RAP are committed to providing public access to drinking water. Achieving this will involve the installation of hydration stations at publicly accessible, highly visited/populated locations. Installation of hydration stations is a multistep process which varies with each site and may be a retrofit or new installation. Renovations of existing drinking fountains may be easier than new installations because there is existing plumbing. The hydration station installation process is as follows: o Conduct a department-wide inventory of existing hydration stations and water fountains o Identify eligible sites o Assess the site location for criteria to be met o Conduct wall inspection and necessary construction o Install the required plumbing and drainage or retrofit existing conditions to accommodate the new hydration station o Install a standard hydration station per facility type, include marketing signage, and test operability • Site selection - Each agency (LADWP, GSD, RAP) will determine which of their respective sites will meet the criteria for this program. To date, LADWP has selected their 11 (of 14) publicly accessible Customer Service Centers (CSCs) for the hydration station installations/retrofits. Please find the list of CSCs enclosed (Enclosure 2). GSD has preliminarily identified approximately 50 municipal sites located throughout various Council Districts as potential sites for hydration stations (Enclosure 3). GSD has identified 4 of these sites to pilot hydration station installations (Pacoima City Hall, Main City Hall, Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, and the North Central Animal Shelter). GSD will proceed with this pilot program right away and will pursue reimbursement after the LADWP/GSD MOU has been finalized. Currently, RAP has over 1,300 drinking water fountains, with 109 of those retrofitted into hydration stations throughout 66 city parks (Enclosure 4). RAP will identify park facilities throughout every Council District as potential sites for installation of additional hydration stations to assist with meeting the Mayor’s goal The Honorable City Council Page 3 August 28, 2019 of 200 locations by 2035. RAP has selected 62 facilities as priority sites to commence installation (Enclosure 5). • Location Criteria - Each agency will identify the best locations at their respective facilities. Proper location selection for the hydration stations is critical for maintaining water quality. Ideally, selected areas will have short plumbing runs, be on high use lines (i.e., restroom supply line), are protected from the outdoor elements (i.e., shaded from direct sunlight), and easily accessible to the public. • Equipment - Hydration stations will facilitate the use of reusable bottles. Filters are not recommended. Filters are not necessary because LADWP serves high- quality drinking water. Filters also require periodic maintenance and change-outs which will increase maintenance costs. Failure to maintain the filter may create potential water quality issues. Furthermore, hydration stations with chillers are recommended for indoor use as consumers prefer water at cooler temperatures. Please find the list of indoor and outdoor hydration station models that meet the equipment requirements (Enclosure 6). • Signage - To meet the purpose of promoting drinking tap water, LADWP will provide signage for select hydration stations installed as part of this program. LADWP will also provide replacement signage as needed. • Maintenance - Each agency (LADWP, GSD, RAP) will be responsible for maintaining and cleaning hydration stations installed on their respective facilities. III. Cost estimate for installation of hydration stations The estimated cost for installation of each indoor hydration station with cooling system at LADWP Customer Service Centers is $6,655 - $25,325 (Enclosure 7). Per RAP, the estimated installation cost for each outdoor hydration station is $12,000 - $25,000. Both estimates include equipment, materials, maintenance, and other related expenses. The cost varies depending on the amount of plumbing required for the selected site, location, and repairs needed to floors, walls, and outdoor concrete. The cost may also increase if hazardous materials are found. GSD will determine the cost estimates for equipment, materials, maintenance, and other related costs once the hydration stations have been installed at their pilot sites. The Honorable City Council Page 4 August 28, 2019 IV. LADWP’s role in supporting RAP and GSD LADWP is preparing two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with GSD and RAP to partially finance hydration stations installed at publicly accessible locations on their respective facilities. RAP and GSD will proceed with the installation process and will pursue reimbursement once the MOU have been finalized. For additional information, please contact Ms. Winifred J. Yancy, Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, at (213) 367-0025. Sincerely, £ Martin L. Adams Michael A. Shull Interim General Manager and General Manager Chief Engineer City of Los Angeles Department of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks Water and Power Tony M. Royster General Manager City of Los Angeles Department of General Services DR:lb Enclosures c/enc: Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, ITGS Committee Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, ITGS Committee Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, HENPAR Committee Councilmember Curren D. Price, HENPAR Committee Ms. Leyla Campos, Legislative Assistant Mr. Eric Villanueva, Legislative Assistant Ms. Winifred J. Yancy in INFORMATION, I n il_. MOTION The City of Los Angeles has implemented many policies that have improved the environment and the quality of life for its residents. These efforts place it at the forefront of the sustainability movement and include improving water and air quality, implementing renewable energy sources, and requiring reuse and recycling. The City should continue these environmental efforts by introducing and expanding hydration station locations at parks and facilities throughout the City. In 2015, the City of Orlando, Florida installed 30 new hydration stations at its parks, community and neighborhood centers. This effort was done in partnership with its local water agency. The hydration stations are intended to save Orlando's residents time and money by allowing them to reuse waterbodies conveniently, reduce the number of plastic water bottles recycled, and provide easy access to clean water. In 2016, the City of Los Angeles introduced a hydration station in City Hall East. However, more hydration stations should be installed throughout the City. In addition, the City should identity existing water fountains at parks and facilities and seek to convert them into hydration stations. In this manner, the City can more effectively meet its sustainability objectives and improve the quality of life of its residents. I THEREFORE MOVE that the General Services Department and Department of Recreation and Parks, with the assistance of the Department of Water and Power, report to the Council in 30 days on the feasibility of introducing and expanding hydration stations at parks and municipal facilities in order to promote the use