In Tom’s Name.
The late Mr. LA, Tom LaBonge, former Councilman and Club Member, is being honored with the renaming of an important water project in the San Fernando Valley, a project he championed.
On May 25, LADWP renamed two historically significant facilities to honor the late 4th District Councilmember and longtime LADWP supporter, Tom LaBonge. The LADWP board authorized renaming the Los Angeles Aqueduct Centennial Garden and Headworks Water Complex to the Tom LaBonge Aqueduct Centennial Gardens and the Tom LaBonge Headworks Water Complex, respectively.
Alive! featured the headworks project on our cover in October 2016.
LaBonge championed various critical water system projects on behalf of LADWP and its customers, recognizing the significant role water plays in the City. LaBonge was often quoted at LADWP public events by saying, “The two most important things in life are water and relationships.”
The Headworks Water Complex, a water storage facility, held special meaning for LaBonge. In 2015, Councilmember LaBonge participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of the East Reservoir project at the complex, which is the largest underground drinking water reservoir in the western United States. Headworks is located on a 43-acre site across from the north entrance to Griffith Park and replaces the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe Reservoirs. The idea of moving the water storage from Silver Lake, then in the 4th District, to the Headworks site was born one afternoon in Councilmember LaBonge’s office as a solution to meeting the challenges of new water quality regulations.
The Tom LaBonge Headworks Water Complex will also be home to the newly designed Water Quality Laboratory to ensure the highest quality drinking water for the City.
The Tom LaBonge Los Angeles Aqueduct Centennial Garden and Tom LaBonge Headworks Water Complex will include the installation of new signage bearing the new name of the facilities.
Tom LaBonge, a longtime City employee, Councilman and Club Member, died in early January.
