your actions matter
This is the greatest natural disaster in California no one is talking about
You have the power to make a difference
start small
Despite how they are advertised, there are no such things as flushable wipes. Many sewage spills are a result of backed up sewage systems made up of such materials. Paper towels, male hygiene products, female hygiene products, wipes, cat litter etc. all need to be thrown in the trash.
attention homeowners
A majority of sewage spills occur because of faulty homeowner lateral pipes. While the city is responsible for the sewer mains that our homes are connected to, homeowners have the responsibility to fix and update these lateral pipes which runs from their house to the city run pipes.
There are surprisingly affordable ways to fix your lateral pipes.
bust out your green thumb
Los Angeles is a giant flood plain built with impervious surfaces. Sewage spills often happen after rainstorms flood our sewer systems.
Sorry Angelenos, grass is gross. Replacing our gardens with native desert vegetation restores our environment to its natural balanced habitat and captures this rainwater.
Creating “Ocean Friendly Gardens” also helps replenish our groundwater reserves.
Get political
It might sound cliche at this point, but calling your congressperson is a poignant way to get the message across. There are also plenty of skills every one of us can bring to this issue. What unique ability can you bring into the political arena?
donate time donate money
Heal the Bay, LA Waterkeeper, and Surfrider foundation have been on this beat for decades and they have the track record to prove it. If it wasn’t for them, the Hyperion Sewage Treatment plant would still be spewing raw sewage into our ocean.
They need your support. If you can’t donate money, donate your time by volunteering for a beach cleanup (a large portion of beach plastic is from sewage spills).