LABS, Arab American Association of Engineers Hosts City of LA Director Adel Hagekhail
By Wendy Wert
LABS Director
LABS Director
On March 25, 2010 the Los Angeles Basin Section (LABS) of the California Water Environmental Association (CWEA) partnered with the Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAEA) to present In Sight and Mind… Engaging the Community At All Levels the AAEA Mission and Activities in Los Angeles. The dinner and training event was held at Wahibs Middle East Restaurant in Alhambra. The featured speaker for the event was Adel Hagekhalil. Mr. Hagekhalil is a registered civil engineer with the State of California and a national Board Certified Environmental Engineer. Adel is currently an Assistant Director with the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation where he is responsible for the Bureau’s wastewater collection system management, stormwater and watershed protection program, water quality and TMDL compliance, and facilities advance planning.
Dinner meeting attendees, on the right is Hala Titus, Black & Veatch, center, Adel Hagekhail, City of Los Angeles
Under his direction, the City has prepared an award winning Water Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) for the year 2020, which relies on public input and participation and integrates water supply, water reuse, water conservation and stormwater management with wastewater facilities planning through a regional watershed approach. Adel has managed the collection system spill control program and led the implementation of the collection system planning efforts leading to a more than 76% reduction in sewer spills. Adel has published numerous technical papers and participated in various technical conferences and serves on numerous committees. He is currently a Board member with the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), a member of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE) and a member of the Water Environment Federation (WEF).
Adel presented an overview of the challenges faced by the City in light of unique productive partnerships that can successfully engage communities at all levels. The City of Los Angeles serves a population of 4 million in a 600 square mile service area. The Bureau of Sanitation is made up of 3,000 employees divided into three programs: the Clean Water Program (Wastewater), the Watershed Protection Program (Stormwater), and the Solid Resources Program. The Wastewater Program consists of four treatment plants with a total capacity of 550 million gallons per day (MGD), 6,700 miles of sewer pipe, and 47 wastewater pumping plants. The Stormwater Program consists of 1,200 miles of collection pipes, 100 miles of open channels, and 38,000 catch basins. The Solid Resources Program handles 1,650,000 tons of solid resources material collected, over 500,000 tons of green materials recycled for mulch and compost, and over 260,000 tons of glass, paper, cans, and other materials. The program has and overall 68% waste diversion rate.
Dinner meeting attendees and, center, the featured speaker Adel Hagekhalil
Adel reviewed the constraints that an effective resource management program must operate within including: public expectations, regulatory compliance, constant growth, aging infrastructure, limited funding, limited resources, and economic recession. An effective program will recognize that one of the constraints (public expectations) may become a resource through stakeholder engagement. The Effective Utility Management (available at www.watereum.org) lists “Actively involves stakeholders in the decisions that will affect them.” as a key attribute of effectively managed utilities.
Adel presented case studies that demonstrate effective utility-community partnerships. One example the Low Impact Development (LID) Ordinance and Water Quality Compliance Master Plan conducted five community workshops to solicit stakeholder input, held 86 stakeholder workshops, e-blasted information to 3,000 stakeholders and 8,000 neighborhood council members and posted an ongoing educational series. Another example is the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Plans, which used a stakeholder-driven process to establish implementation strategies. Through the Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) the community developed a 20 year integrated facilities plan. As a follow-up to the IRP the Recycled Water Master Plan developed strategies to effectively recycle an additional 50,000 acre-feet of water by 2019. A stakeholder driven process under the solid resources program developed the Zero Waste Plan, a 20-year master plan for the City to achieve zero waste by 2030.
Adel challenged agencies to be visible to the communities they serve through positive outreach programs such as Sewer Science, which has reached over 15,000 students, Kids Ocean Day, an annual event attended by 4,000 students from 25 schools. Other effective programs include: the Japanese Garden 25th Anniversary Celebration at the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, holding open houses at City service yards, hosting facility tours, and annual holiday blanket and jacket drives.
Adel ended the presentation with a challenge to all those present to make a commitment to reach out to a member of their community whom they have historically avoided “the more difficult it is to speak to the group, society, or organization; the more likely it is that your genuine sustained efforts over time will yield constructive working relationships.”
