At the county level, the Safe Clean Water Program (SCWP) consists of 85 cities plus unincorporated areas in the LA County Flood Control District. The program administers the funds through the Measure W parcel tax — about $280 million each year — to water infrastructure projects through various grant-making processes. The district is divided by watershed into nine Watershed Area Steering Committees (WASC), with 17 representatives each, representing cities, water agencies, and community organizations who create prioritized funding recommendations working closely with LA County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella. 

The six members of the Scoring Committee evaluate grant applications. All appointments are made by the LA County Board of Supervisors:

• Bruce Reznik, LA Waterkeeper (Chair)

• Dave Sorem, Mike Bubalo Construction Co., Inc

• TJ Moon, LA County Public Works (Vice Chair)

• Matt Stone, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency

• David Diaz, Active SGV 

• Esther Rojas, Water Replenishment District

Additionally, the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) is a group of nine members who assess whether SCWP goals are being met. All appointments are made by the LA County Board of Supervisors: 

• Maria Mehranian, Cordoba and former LA Regional Water Quality Control Board Chair

• Barbara Romero, City of Los Angeles

• Diana Tang, Long Beach Water Department

• Kristine Guerrero, League of Cities (Chair)

• Belinda Faustinos, Retired NGO & State Agency Executive (Vice Chair)

• Elizabeth Crosson, Metropolitan Water District

• Lauren Ahkiam, LAANE

• Elva Yanez, Prevention Institute

• Charles Trevino, Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District

• Carl Blum, LA County Flood Control District (non-voting member)

• Norma Camacho, LA Regional Water Quality Control Board Chair (non-voting member)

Power Dynamics

Priorities for funding are set by each Watershed Area Steering Committee, which is good because each watershed has such different geographic and topographic needs. But after nearly five years, the program has a big problem: fewer organizations are applying for grants, and the proposals have become less ambitious over time. This is especially troubling as LA has historically failed at getting big state and federal grants for infrastructure, and this process could be a good way to potentially leverage state and federal funds for truly transformative projects. Something needs to change in the way that projects are awarded.

How to Make A Difference

The new Vision 2045 plan published in 2023 by Heal the Bay, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and LA Waterkeeper offers a solid set of metrics for advocates to align behind. Dramatically increasing the acreage of greening projects needs to be a key goal. Another major criticism of the current structure is that because the money can be used for both existing or new projects, too much of the money goes to repairs or rehabilitation of parks. Only three new parks have been created. Notably, the vision also includes for all LA County schools in disadvantaged communities — which are, largely, blacktop yards — to have their campuses greened to the same standards by 2030. Only one LAUSD project has been awarded a grant and it was later withdrawn. There’s a clear case to be made that a bulk of Measure W’s money needs to go to schoolyard greening projects, which can also be opened through joint-use agreements as parks.

Key Advocacy Groups To Follow

• LA Waterkeeper

• The River Project

• Pacoima Beautiful

• Trust for Public Land

• Tree People

• NRDC

• Sierra Club

• Heal the Bay

• Council for Watershed Health

• LAANE

• Friends of the LA River

• Pacific Institute

• Friends of the LA River

• Surfrider Foundation