Did you know?
All the updates in Descanso’s water plan will reduce the garden’s annual water budget by roughly 60% — or more than 16 million gallons — per year.
Water recycling
Descanso has been using a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to filter, treat, and clean wastewater to make it useable for irrigation. Our facility is the only one of its kind in Los Angeles County.
System upgrades
We’re working to make sure all of our water systems are efficient. To this end, we’ll upgrade existing restrooms, add new ones, and will tie all our restrooms into the MBR. We’re also decreasing the need for irrigation — and adjusting irrigation — in the Rose Garden and other areas.
Stormwater capture
As part of the lake restoration project, the garden will be pumping water from the storm channel, filtering it through a system, and storing it in the lake. The storm channel project will allow Descanso to use the water throughout the year for irrigation.
Lake habitat rehabilitation project
Descanso will fully restore and expand the lake and improve the lake’s water quality by installing new aeration and circulation systems, and by reducing pollutant load through innovative water filtration systems. We will also regrade the lake’s edge to create shallow shelves for planting soil, which will become home to plant species that naturally clean and heal the lake over time. The rehabilitation of the lake is an important part of our water plan and is just one of many water quality and quantity improvements.