Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) officials will present a rebate check for $328,317 to the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) for t heir participation in LADWP's Commercial/Industrial Drought Resistant Landscape Incentive Program, which provides a rebate of $1 for every square foot of turf replaced.

Through their participation in this program, the VAGLAHS replaced 7.5 acres of turf with drought-tolerant landscaping at their West Los Angeles facility. This newly landscaped area featuring drought-tolerant plants will serve as a healing environment for VAGLAHS patients and constitutes a major image change for the federal facility. The project is expected to save more than 8.1 million gallons of water annually -- enough to serve 50 households each year.

The Turf Company, a veteran-owned landscaping company, carried out the landscaping work by using this unique opportunity to provide jobs and training for veteran patients of the VAGLAHS.

Honorable Paul Koretz, Councilmember, District 5
LADWP Officials
Donna Beiter, Director, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
John Young, President, The Turf Company

Thursday, August 5, 10:00 a.m.

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
11301 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90073

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NOTE: Media is asked to enter through gate at Ohio Avenue and Sawtelle Boulevard.

Check presentation ceremony, followed by a tour of the newly-landscaped area.
LADWP Water Conservation Team Members will be available for Q&A.

Board of Water and Power Commissioners regular meeting

Board President Lee Kanon Alpert
Vice President Thomas S. Sayles
Commissioner Eric Holoman
Commissioner Jonathan Parfrey

August 3, 2010
10:00 a.m.

LADWP Crenshaw Customer Service Center
4030 Crenshaw Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90008

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The Board of Water and Power Commissioners meets regularly on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.  Board meetings are open to the public.

Regular meeting agendas are available at least 72 hours before the Board meets.  The agenda is viewable from the Board's homepage on the Department website.  Additionally, the agenda will be posted in the LADWP Headquarters at 111 North Hope Street in the lobby, and at 14401 Saticoy Street in Van Nuys, CA.

LADWP General Manager Austin Beutner will present the Department’s proposed 2010-11 budget to the City Council.

Austin Beutner, General Manager

June 8, 2010
10 a.m.

Los Angeles City Council Chambers
John Ferraro Council Chamber
City Hall Room 340
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mr. Beutner will discuss a proposed $4.2 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2010-11 which focuses on LADWP’s core business of providing reliable, safe water and power to the City’s 4 million-plus population, ensuring regulatory compliance, improved customer service and reduced spending in non-critical areas. 

The proposed budget includes $263 million in cost reductions and deferrals.

A simple, easy to understand presentation of the budget proposal is viewable by visiting the LADWP's online newsroom at ladwpnews.com and looking under the "Hot Topics" section.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power managers and staff will honor Union Avenue Elementary School students who have excelled in their reading skills with ribbons and medals at the “Reading Olympics” award ceremony.

LADWP lineworkers will also be present to give students a bucket truck demonstration.

James McDaniel, Assistant General Manger, LADWP Water System 
Joe Narduli, Principal, Union Avenue Elementary School
LADWP managers and reading coaches, students and teachers 

Tuesday, June 8, 2010
8:00 a.m.

Union Avenue Elementary School
150 South Burlington Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90057

Note: Event will take place in the school yard.

Union Avenue Elementary is one of fifteen LADWP’s adopted schools as part of its Adopt-a-School educational outreach program.  Department employees volunteer their time, skills and experience to schools in the local community, assisting students with reading, homework and developing study skills.  The program demonstrates measureable improvement in reading scores based on the Open Court Program tests among participating students and classes that have LADWP Reading Coaches.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest municipal utility, provides clean, reliable water and power and excellent customer service in a safe, environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner. LADWP services about 1.4 million electric customers and 680,000 water customers in Los Angeles.

Media Briefing

Austin Beutner, General Manager

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
9:30 a.m.

LADWP Headquarters
John Ferraro Building
Executive Conference Room
111 N. Hope Street, Room 1514
Los Angeles, CA  90012

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A group of LADWP employees were the subject of a recent investigation conducted by KCBS-TV. In the report, aired on April 29, 2010 during the 11:00 p.m. newscast, KCBS aired video footage that contained images of LADWP crew members engaged in what appeared to be inappropriate and possibly illegal behavior.  

Immediately following the airing by KCBS of advertisements promoting the story, the Department initiated an investigation. Prior to the story’s airing, LADWP Chief Operating Officer Raman Raj issued a statement, an excerpt of which is as follows:

“Any employee who is found to have acted inappropriately will be held accountable and will face swift disciplinary action. For violations involving alcohol use on the job or other inappropriate conduct, penalties include action up to, and including, termination.”

After the story aired, LADWP suspended six employees from their normal duties pending the outcome of the investigation. The employees remained at work, but were reassigned to other work duties.