West Basin and toymaker Mattel partner to save nearly two million gallons of drinking water annually

International toymaker Mattel, Inc. and West Basin Municipal Water District in El Segundo recently announced the completion of a joint project to facilitate the exclusive use of recycled water for irrigation purposes at Mattel’s El Segundo corporate campus. By using West Basin’s locally produced recycled water for irrigation, Mattel and West Basin are helping to save nearly two million gallons of drinking water per year.

Expanding recycled water use is a key component of West Basin’s Water Reliability Program.  The program seeks to develop drought-proof local water supplies and reduce the region’s dependence on imported water. The program also includes expanding water conservation and exploring ocean water desalination as a potential future water supply. With the completion of the Mattel-West Basin recycled water project Mattel now joins a diverse group of West Basin’s recycled water users which include over 200 municipal, commercial and industrial customers throughout its 185-square mile service area, and adjacent areas such as Torrance and Los Angeles.

“As part of our efforts to expand West Basin’s water recycling program, we are pleased to welcome Mattel as a new recycled water customer and appreciate their commitment to sustainability as we work together to address drought conditions and future water challenges,” said Scott Houston, West Basin division IV director who represents the El Segundo area. “Collaborative efforts on projects such as this help reduce the potable water demand and provide great value to both the customer and the region.”

West Basin has a state-of-the-art water recycling facility nearby the Mattel campus in El Segundo where it produces nearly 40 million gallons of recycled water a day, for a total of 175 billion gallons of recycled water produced since 1995. West Basin’s Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility is the only facility in the world that produces five “designer” waters to meet various needs, and continues to expand production to meet the region’s water demands now and in the future.

“We are thrilled to work with West Basin to help offset the ongoing water shortage in California,” said Frank Maranto, Mattel’s vice president of global security and facilities. “Mattel has always been committed to doing its part to conserve precious natural resources, and to giving back to the communities where we work and live. Converting our irrigation systems to use reclaimed water helps us advance both of these goals.”

This Mattel-West Valley project is one of eight local projects financed by Prop 84, administered by the Department of Water Resources, with additional funding coming from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.