El Segundo City Council Demands Replacement of Hyperion Leadership

On Friday, February 23, 2024, El Segundo City Council issued an official letter to City of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass regarding the failed leadership at the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The letter details the recent repeated instances of equipment failures, lack of proactive maintenance, odor leaks, poor communication, faulty information, and flagrant violations of regulatory standards - having received five NOVs from South Coast AQMD since January 28, 2024 - and demands immediate and decisive action to remove the Los Angeles Sanitation Director and General Manager from office.

Click here to read the official letter: Letter to Mayor Bass - Failed Management of Hyperion, February 23, 2024

Hyperion Updates

February 26, 2024

Below are the most recent updates on the situation with the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant, which is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. 

• EL SEGUNDO CITY COUNCIL DEMANDS REPLACEMENT OF HYPERION LEADERSHIP

  • On Friday, February 23, 2024, El Segundo City Council issued an official letter to City of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass demanding immediate action to remove the Los Angeles Sanitation Director and General Manager from office. Click here to read the press release and official letter.

• CITY EFFORTS REGARDING HYPERION
  
  • The City continued to receive numerous complaints of odors from residents over the past two weeks. City staff immediately contacted Hyperion and AQMD; here's what was reported:

•  AQMD
  • AQMD received over 90 odor complaints in the past week and issued three more notices of violation (NOVs) to Hyperion for odors on February 13, 15, and 16 (that's a total of five NOVs since January 28, 2024). AQMD is currently investigating the cause of those odors.
    • The next AQMD Hearing Board meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held on July 31, 2024
• HYPERION ACTIVITY
  • Due to the extreme rain over February 4^th and 5^th, Hyperion experienced an increased flow.
    • As a result of that rain, some process equipment at Hyperion was damaged, which led to biogas flaring and the temporary use of the tanks in Primary Battery D – the only tanks whose covers have not yet been replaced. Hyperion has reported that they stopped using these tanks on February 7^th and the biogas flaring was stopped at 7:30 p.m. on February 22^nd.
    • In order to repair the damaged equipment, Hyperion conducted cleaning and working activities at various locations in the plant that produce odors.
    • Hyperion had extensive electrical issues at the facility, causing them to have to store more solids than usual in their truck-loading facility, which resulted in odors. They report that the repairs of the truck-loading facility were completed on February 17^th and that other process areas are being addressed. Click here to read the full Hyperion Plant Status Update - February 21, 2024.
  • Cleaning activities for Hyperion Primary Battery D tanks have begun and will continue intermittently through June 6^th, 2024. Hyperion has notified the City that there will be weekend tank cleaning activities through the end of February.

The most up to date information on the situation with Hyperion can be found on the City's website at www.elsegundo.org/hyperion.

Click below to receive updates from the City of El Segundo regarding Hyperion.

Hyperion Updates

Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant is owned and operated
by the City of Los Angeles.