Los Angeles, California — The International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH®), the public charity of IAPMO®, has completed a major plumbing upgrade at the Los Angeles Mission, strengthening essential facilities used by more than 1,000 people each day.
From July 13 to 24, 16 skilled plumbers from the Los Angeles area worked in coordinated teams as part of this IWSH Community Plumbing Challenge®to replace approximately 30 toilets, 10 urinals, 40 faucets and 25 showerheads. The new water-efficient and tamper-resistant fixtures were selected for durability and performance in a high-use environment.
Every day, the Los Angeles Mission provides showers, restrooms, meals, clean water and other essential services to people experiencing homelessness. Years of intensive use had placed significant strain on the Mission’s plumbing systems, creating frequent repair needs and diverting resources that could otherwise support programs and services.
The skilled labor and products provided by IWSH and its partners have a combined estimated value exceeding $150,000. These improvements are expected to reduce recurring repair expenses, strengthen the reliability of essential facilities, and allow the Los Angeles Mission to direct more of its resources toward the people it serves.
“The Los Angeles Mission project demonstrates what makes IWSH so unique — the ability to bring the plumbing industry together to use its skills, products, and resources to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” said Robyn Fischer, IWSH senior director, North America. “By improving the water and sanitation systems that thousands of people rely on each day, we’re not just upgrading plumbing; we’re helping the Mission provide safer, more reliable services with dignity for years to come.”
The upgraded fixtures could reduce water consumption by approximately 760,000 gallons of water annually, an important environmental and operational benefit for a facility that provides more than 22,000 showers each year to people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row.
“If we had done this ourselves, there is no way we could have achieved the quality of work and materials that IWSH brought to the Los Angeles Mission,” said Dennis Oleesky, CEO of the Los Angeles Mission. “Our limited budget would never have allowed us to accomplish what this incredible team completed in just two weeks. Because of IWSH’s generosity, we can direct more of our resources toward the programs and services our community depends upon. There are simply no words to describe how grateful we are to IWSH.”
The project also demonstrated the essential role of the skilled trades. Qualified plumbers from eight Southern California contractors, representing six United Association (UA) locals, brought their expertise to the installations. Fifteen industry partners contributed products, including fixtures and piping materials. Together, their work is expected to improve reliability at the Mission and deliver significant long-term water savings.
Participating contractors included Muir-Chase Plumbing — who generously served as the lead contractor for this project — ACCO Engineering, Astro Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Murray Company Mechanical Contractors, Pan-Pacific Mechanical, Revim, Suttles Plumbing and Verne’s Plumbing, with support from the California Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association.
The plumbers represented UA Locals 78, 230, 398, 484, 582 and 761, with support from SoCal Pipe Trades District Council 16. Manufacturers and suppliers involved in the project included Kohler, Acorn, LIXIL, Winsupply of LA, Milwaukee Tool, Moen, Symmons, Delta, Caleffi, Sloan, Neoperl, BrassCraft and IRS Demo.
The collaboration took place during a milestone year for both IWSH and IAPMO. IWSH is celebrating 10 years of mobilizing the plumbing industry for good, while IAPMO marks 100 years since its founding in Los Angeles on May 17, 1926. The Los Angeles Mission project brought that shared legacy home to the city where IAPMO began.
IWSH projects follow a proven success equation: Well-planned projects + skilled plumbers + quality products + community training = scalable, measurable change. This approach helps IWSH deliver practical plumbing solutions that improve health, safety and quality of life in underserved communities.
ABOUT IWSH
The International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH®) is a 501(c)(3) that serves as the public charity of IAPMO. Founded in 2016, IWSH mobilizes the plumbing industry for good — providing clean drinking water, safe sanitation, and new career pathways to underserved low-income and Indigenous communities. For more information, visit iwsh.org.
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