Stormwater project boosts Burbank’s drought resilience and power supply
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In Southern California, water scarcity is not a passing concern. For cities like Burbank, where average annual rainfall reaches just 15 inches, every drop must be conserved. As climate change intensifies drought cycles, urban utilities face growing pressure to secure reliable water supplies while maintaining critical services like power generation. In Burbank, the Magnolia Power Plant stands at the center of this challenge.
Operating a combined cycle power facility demands significant water for cooling and other essential processes. With local aquifers under stress and imported water increasingly limited by regulations and environmental constraints, Burbank Water and Power sought a solution to strengthen operational resilience without straining scarce resources. The answer came through an innovative approach to stormwater management that now saves more than eight million gallons of water every year.
Engineering an urban solution: How the stormwater system works
The Magnolia Power Plant’s stormwater improvement project shows how an industrial site can adapt to modern sustainability demands. At its core is a 277,000-gallon underground storage and infiltration facility that captures runoff from the BWP campus. The system is sized to handle a 24-hour storm at the 85th percentile, meeting regional water quality standards while protecting the area from flooding during major weather events.
Before the captured water reaches the plant’s cooling towers, it goes through a nutrient separating baffle box. This multistage system removes debris larger than 5 millimeters and filters out pollutants that could harm water quality. Sampling and monitoring ensure the treated runoff meets the strict standards required for industrial reuse.
What makes the system stand out is its dual purpose. During plant operations, treated stormwater supplements cooling tower makeup water, reducing demand on recycled and imported sources. When the plant is offline, the stored water infiltrates the local groundwater basin, directly recharging an aquifer that once received little benefit from runoff that typically drained into the Burbank Western Channel.
Community engagement and regulatory success
Delivering a project of this scale in an urban area required careful permitting, community involvement and multi-agency coordination. The California Environmental Quality Act set the framework for assessing the project’s impacts. Public notices and city council hearings kept residents and stakeholders informed.
BWP partnered with MNS Engineers Inc. for feasibility studies, design and construction management. Environmental permitting and legal guidance came from Sapphos Environmental and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP. Construction required work at night in the public right-of-way to limit disruption, while new storm drains were built to separate campus drainage from nearby industrial runoff.
The community response has been positive, supported by BWP’s EcoCampus, which integrates sustainable elements into a working utility site. The EcoCampus serves as an educational hub, showcasing water management and other green infrastructure during tours and events.
Operational impact: measurable savings and reliability gains
The results show the project’s value. The system captures about 8.2 million gallons of water each year, helping the Magnolia Power Plant maintain reliable cooling operations even during interruptions in recycled water supplies. By reducing reliance on purchased water, the project lowers costs reflected in the annual water budget.
Operational flexibility is another benefit. Real-time monitoring tracks flow rates and water levels, allowing the system to respond to rainfall events and plant needs. Sensors and pumps direct treated water where it is needed, while infiltration ensures any surplus supports local groundwater recharge.
A replicable model for urban industrial sites
Burbank’s stormwater improvement project can inspire other drought-prone cities and industrial facilities. While the system covers only part of the Magnolia Power Plant’s annual cooling needs, it shows how smart infrastructure retrofits can deliver value from limited resources.
Across California, stormwater capture is gaining ground as a key piece of the state’s water resilience strategy. Recent investments in stormwater projects reflect a broader commitment to local supply solutions that reduce dependence on imported water.
In Burbank, the success of the EcoCampus and the Magnolia Power Plant’s stormwater system demonstrates how communities can blend industrial operations with environmental design. For cities facing a hotter, drier future, projects like this highlight what is possible when necessity, innovation and collaboration work together.
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