AREA 52
OUTFALL CLEAN-UP
ARROYO SECO, LOS ANGELES 2003
KATHRYN MILLER AND ANDREAS HESSING
9’ X 9’ X 50’ (PLANTS, LIMESTONE, ROCKS, STEEL)
ORIGINAL CONCEPT:
CLEANING A POLLUTED
OUTFALL THAT DRAINS
TO A CONCRETE-LINED
RIVER.
EVERY SUBSTANCE DROPPED ON THE LANDSCAPE ENDS UP IN A DRAINAGE SYSTEM. CONTAMINATED AND POLLUTED RUN-OFF INCREASES WITH URBANIZATION BECAUSE VEGETATED LAND SURFACES ARE REPLACED WITH PARKING LOTS, BUILDINGS, FREEWAYS, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
THESE POLLUTANTS ENTER OUR AQUATIC SYSTEMS THROUGH STORM WATER AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS LIKE THIS ONE, AND ULTIMATELY ENTER THE OCEAN.
USING THE PRINCIPLES OF
BIOENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS CAN EFFECTIVELY REMOVE POLLUTANTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RUN-OFF.
THIS WAS A SMALL-SCALE
DEMONSTRATION AT THE
CONFLUENCE OF THE NORTH
BRANCH OF THE ARROYO AS IT ENTERS THE ARROYO SECO CHANNEL.THE PROJECT HAS 3 TIERS.
| 1. SOLID WASTE CLEAN UP INCLUDES PLASTIC BAGS, PLASTIC SODA AND WATER BOTTLES AND ANYTHING THAT IS THROWN INTO THE STREET. | 2. LIMESTONE BLOCKS HELP DEACIDIFY THE WATER AND NEUTRA LIZE PROBLEM TOXIC METALS BY MAKING THEM INERT. | 3. PLANTS AND ORGANISMS PERFORM THE FINAL CLEAN UP BEFORE THE WATER FLOWS TO THE LOS ANGELES RIVER AND THE OCEAN. |