Plant Tours

The friendly staff of ELC also offers tours of the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant. Attendees will learn what happens to all that goes down the drains in homes and businesses.

WASTE WATER TREATMENT PROCESS

Wastewater comes to the Hyperion Reclamation Plant through the sewer system. Most of it comes from inside houses from sinks, dishwashers, bathtubs, toilets and washing machines. Some of the water that is treated at Hyperion comes from commercial and industrial users.

PRELIMINARY AND PRIMARY TREATMENT

Most solids are removed from water during preliminary treatment. Bar screens catch and remove the largest solids in wastewater, allowing liquid to flow through to the next step, grit removal. Here heavy solids sink to the bottom of tanks and are removed and riven to landfills.

SECONDARY TREATMENT

In Secondary Treatment, tons of microorganisms are added to the wastewater to eat the leftover organic solids.

SETTLING/CLARIFYING TANKS

Once the organic solids are consumed, the wastewater flows into clarifying tanks. Microorganisms settle to the bottom and then removed, while the remaining treated effluent is discharged 5 miles out in the Santa Monica Bay or pumped to a water recycling facility.

DIGESTERS

Biosolids are sent to heated vessels called digesters. Here disease causing microorganisms are destroyed by bacteria while also reducing the volume and producing methane gas. Water is removed from the biosolids producing a thick substance that is transported for reuse.