By Jorge Lopez, PE, Vice President, Engineering
Suburban is committed to providing our community’s residents and businesses a safe and reliable water supply. A vital part of this commitment is ensuring that water continues to flow even during power outages. To achieve this, Suburban is installing generators at various pump facilities, including the crucial Plant 165.
Located in Hacienda Heights, Plant 165 is critical in pumping and distributing water for drinking, domestic use, irrigation, and firefighting across the hilly terrain in this community. This facility boasts a water tank and two powerful pumps that ensure sufficient water supply and fire protection for the surrounding area. Typically, these pumps are powered by electricity provided by Southern California Edison (SCE).
However, power outages can strike unexpectedly, especially during windstorms that knock down power lines or when vehicles collide with utility poles. Planned outages, such as Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), are also a concern. During a PSPS, SCE intentionally deenergizes power lines to prevent wildfires in high winds and low humidity conditions.
