Hyperion Field Trip

You wake up, take a shower, brush your teeth, and go to school. You use the restroom, wash your hands, and go about your day, not thinking about the water going down the drain. Where does all that water end up?

On March 10, the AP Environmental Science class led by Mr.Garibay went on a tour of the Hyperion Treatment Plant in Playa del Rey, where all the water that we use on a daily basis ends up. The APES class learned about the processes the plant goes through on a daily basis. Water that goes to the Hyperion plant goes through two steps for treatment - primary treatment and secondary treatment.

The APES class went on a tour of Hyperion, seeing the variety of pipes, pumps, and structures in every direction. The class experienced the sights, and the smells. Besides a tour of the plant, the students also learned about the effect they have on the world around them. “All the water we use isn’t new and has been recycled all over the world for millions of years,” says APES student Anthony Lopez. The water you use when you're taking a 30 minute shower doesn’t magically disappear. It is taken to the plant and eventually recycled back into the earth.

Before the wastewater - or water used for human use such as for flushing, washing etc. - is pumped into primary treatment, materials such as plastics, wood, and rags are filtered out and taken to a landfill. Over 15 tons are taken every day!

When the APES students walked into the plant, the only smell in the air was the beach. As they went through the concrete jungle of pipes, the smell finally hit them. Groans were in the air, and people held their breaths.

In primary treatment, the wastewater goes into underground tanks where biosolids (organic matter recycled from sewage) mixed with the water are separated and pumped into the “Digesters.” The biosolids were not pleasant; the smell was like jumping into a dumpster. In the Digesters, biosolids that were pumped from primary and secondary treatment are placed in humongous containers. For about 15 days, bacteria and other microorganisms consume these biosolids and produce methane gas. The methane gas is then transported to a nearby power plant, which also powers the Hyperion treatment plant!

In secondary treatment, wastewater treated from primary treatment flows into “clarifying tanks.” Solids that still haven't been removed settle in the bottom of the tanks. The solids are now pumped into the digesters mentioned previously. After a few hours, the “effluent,” or treated wastewater, is now ready to be pumped into Santa Monica Bay, five miles away from Dockweiler Beach. The Environmental Club holds several beach cleanups at Dockweiler, but the treated water pumped miles away does not reach the shore.

“It was really cool. This is my first time walking into the plant, but it’s amazing seeing where all our water ends up and what happens to it after it leaves our homes,” said APES teacher Mr.Garibay. He believed it was a great experience for the APES students and a great opportunity for them to have firsthand experience of what happens to the water that was used throughout Los Angeles County.

Even though the Hyperion treatment plant is extremely efficient and sustainable, it was not always like this. Until 1925, all of the sewage produced in Los Angeles was pumped directly into the ocean. The precious ecosystem in the ocean perished because of all the sewage. Eventually, the plant was able to recover the ecosystem.

Besides learning about the complicated system the plant goes through, the APES class also learned about simple ways people can help conserve water and how to prevent much waste from going into the water. Waste less water was a big topic. The average person wastes over 120 gallons of water a day! Also, try to recycle whenever possible and always remember that everyone has an effect on the environment whether it is good or bad. You make the choice.

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