Providing an innovative approach to benefit the community

Long Beach Municipal Urban Stormwater Treatment

In the highly urbanized municipality of the City of Long Beach, a complex system of storm drains and pump stations collects and unabatedly discharges stormwater and urban runoff to the Los Angeles River and Estuary. Our innovative stormwater treatment project, Long Beach Municipal Urban Stormwater Treatment (LB-MUST), is designed to intercept and treat dry weather runoff and a percentage of first-flush storm flows to comply with the municipal stormwater permit and associated total maximum daily loads and make use of the treated water to augment water supply.

A flagship regional project along the Los Angeles River, LB-MUST fostered broader community collaboration to inform greater sustainable decisions. This multi-benefit infrastructure project helps achieve essential goals—by increasing wetlands, creating trails and open space, advancing local hire and job training goals, using nature-based solutions, providing benefits to disadvantaged communities and economically distressed areas, and offering inspiration and education to other agencies and the community. In applying a holistic approach that goes beyond the primary goal of permit compliance, the project secured more than $45 million from a diverse group of funding partners.

Upon completion of Phase 1, LB-MUST will help improve the quality of water in the Los Angeles River and Estuary and have a net positive water impact. Creating the wetland area will help improve a blighted area and provide amenities and accessibility to the Los Angeles River for the underserved and disadvantaged community.