Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
On Monday, January 6, the first forecasted strong windstorm of the year was expected to bring damaging winds of 50-80 miles per hour. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and our employees had prepared for what was sure to bring downed trees, downed electrical lines, and power outages. Water System employees filled water tanks to ensure that all storage facilities were full, in the event that power was lost at pump stations. LADWP urged our customers to use caution around any downed or dangling wires and offered tips for dealing with outages.
Despite valiant efforts from all responding agencies including LADWP, the Palisades and other subsequent fires would collectively become the largest fire-related disaster in the history of the City of Los Angeles. The fires would go on to displace countless households, burn thousands of homes and businesses, and damage and destroy places of worship, cultural centers, community spaces and other significant community resources.
“Our hearts go out to all whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy. The Palisades wildfire has deeply affected each of us, as we have witnessed the impact on our city, our neighbors, our loved ones, and employees, some of whom put aside their personal losses and hardships to continue working. There is no amount of technical explanations that we can give that will take away the pain and loss felt by those who lost their loved ones, homes, and businesses, but we are committed to transparency and doing the necessary work to support our customers and communities during the long road to recovery ahead.”
Janisse Quiñones, LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer
Initial Response
As the fire began on Tuesday, January 7, wind-driven flames began expanding into populated areas of the Pacific Palisades. With gusts of up to 100 miles an hour that prevented the use of support aircraft, the firefighting effort was limited to water resources on the ground. LADWP activated our Department Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and began coordinating with the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and other responding local and state agencies as part of a unified command. It soon became apparent that the water pressure in some areas of the Palisades could not keep up with the high water demand in the area. The availability of water was not the problem. The water system, which complied with and exceeded Fire Code requirements for water availability, simply could not keep up with the demand from this unprecedented wildfire. The draw on the system, including from fire hydrants, water services in use, damaged sprinklers and other draws spewing out water, was at levels substantially greater than the normal demand. This caused a significant decrease to the pressure needed for some fire hydrants and water pumps to function.
In the midst of the raging fire, water crews jumped into action to try and install a temporary pressure regulating station, but as more homes became engulfed around them, they had to be evacuated by LAFD. Once out of danger in a safer area, water crews decided to try something that had never been done before. LADWP water tankers were brought in to act as mobile fire hydrants for LAFD, providing the critical water needed to continue to fight the fire. Once the proper fittings and connections for LAFD hoses were installed, both LAFD and the LADWP teams went back into the fire zone.
First-hand accounts from employees described a treacherous and demanding situation, characterized by unpredictable fire behavior due to the strong winds. They endured the harsh environment by wearing safety goggles and respirators as thick dark smoke billowed around them and ashes rained from the sky. In the coming days and weeks, both water and power crews would continue working under these difficult conditions, even in the face of additional conflagrations from the Sunset, Hurst, Kenneth, and Hughes fires.
When the fires subsided, LADWP water crews entered the fire-ravaged Palisades to restore water pressure. In protective gear, they walked from property to property across a charred landscape to manually shut off nearly 5,000 water service connections.
“Our employees kept going under such difficult conditions and long hours. Their deep-seated loyalty to the City of L.A. and most especially to the people affected by this fire is what motivated them to do everything possible to protect the communities they serve. I commend them for their perseverance, resiliency, and courage amidst the chaos of flames, smoke, and ash.”
Anselmo Collins, Senior Assistant General Manager – Water System
Sustained Operations, Long Hours, and Steady Progress
In the ensuing days, LADWP staff would report around the clock to LADWP’s EOC as well as the City of L.A.’s Emergency Operations Center to coordinate with other responding agencies. Through a unified command, efforts were organized to repair and restore electrical power, restore water pressure and service, make repairs to fire-damaged water infrastructure, and provide much needed assistance to displaced persons.
One of the unexpected challenges during this event was combating misinformation and rampant speculation. LADWP’s Customer Service and Communications and Community Affairs teams worked long hours coordinating with all the agencies in the unified command. Through close collaboration, they disseminated accurate information to affected communities, customers and to local, national, and international media outlets. This included daily updates at www.ladwpnews.com, mass text and email notifications, countless social media posts across multiple platforms, water quality notifications, and door-to-door engagement.
“The Department’s Emergency Operations Center led LADWP’s around the clock, 21-day response, ensuring we were centralized and integrated to quickly allocate resources to crews, affected customers and communities. With representatives from all divisions working together in one room under the Incident Command Structure (ICS), we were able to help mitigate potential threats and quickly work towards a plan for recovery.”
-Zoraya Oliver-Griffin, Senior Assistant General Manager, Chief Climate Resiliency and Emergency Management Officer
On the Power side, crews dealt with damage to approximately 85 percent of the power distribution system in the Pacific Palisades, including power poles that were seemingly snapped in half, lines strung out on streets and cross arms precariously suspended on nothing but electrical lines. Once it was safe to do so, LADWP power crews entered the fire area and assessed the damage to power infrastructure. Gradually, they began to rebuild distribution systems through temporary repairs in order to restore power to customers whose homes and businesses were still standing.
In the city’s time of need, LADWP welcomed additional crews from our mutual assistance partners Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and the Navajo Nation’s Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA). These teams augmented LADWP crews in the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas, as they inspected overhead and underground power lines, cut down damaged wires, and repaired broken power poles. Working in close coordination, crews were able to restore power quickly and safely to affected customers once Palisades Fire Unified Command lifted fire holds that were in place on certain power lines, for safety purposes.
“At the height of the fires we had about 152 line crews working in the field on 16-hour shifts, making daily progress. They ultimately restored power to 400,000 customers since the start of the event. Once the fires were under control, we dispatched 700 crews to fan out across the Palisades and begin the assessment. We’re grateful for the assistance from our partners at PG&E, the Navajo Nation and IBEW Local 18 out in the field helping with logistics, supplies and meals.”
-David Hanson, Senior Assistant General Manager – Power System
Water Quality Restoration
On the second day of the fires on January 8, LADWP issued a Boil Water notice for Pacific Palisades zip code 90272 and adjacent communities north of San Vicente Blvd. There was a concern that the lowered water pressure could lead to bacteria becoming present in the water distribution system. On January 10, this was changed to a full-fledged Do Not Drink notice due to the potential for fire-related contaminants entering the water distribution system. A Water Quality Incident Command was stood up at LADWP’s headquarters in Downtown L.A.
Water Quality, Geographic Information System and Communications staff worked quickly to create a Water Quality Restoration website that included an FAQ for the Do Not Drink notice and interactive maps of the affected zones. The site also featured an interactive dashboard that provided water quality results by service zone, giving residents the most localized results possible. To help provide clean drinking water in the area for customers, LADWP also set up bottled water distribution sites for customers around various neighborhoods within the Pacific Palisades.
By late January, LADWP’s Water Quality Screening Plan was approved by the California Division of Drinking Water (CA-DDW) and restoration efforts began in earnest. A methodical and rigorous screening, flushing, and testing of the water in affected areas took place. Nearly 100 miles of the water distribution system were flushed within all nine LADWP service zones that comprise the affected area. This was followed by thorough and accurate water quality testing of over 460 samples. Field crews, water quality staff and management in the Water Quality Incident Command worked nonstop for two months to ensure the highest possible water quality.
Finally, on March10, the cancellation of the Do Not Drink Notice was announced using multiple methods, including individual door-hangers, website information, news and social media announcements, and the customer-subscribed phone call/email notification system. Over 100 LADWP employees volunteered to canvas the community to distribute door hangers and post signage in prominent locations informing residents and advising on flushing of their indoor plumbing. The accomplishment of this tremendous, multi-faceted effort would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of all the divisions involved born out of the great desire to serve our customers.
“Our staff worked with care, focus and dedication knowing how much the restoration of water quality would mean to local residents as they continue to rebuild their community.”
-Jonathan Leung, LADWP Director of Water Quality
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Following the reestablishment of water service, the Department also set up a Unified Utility Rebuild Operations Center (UUROC). This facility acts as a full-service center where customers and contractors can coordinate directly with participating utilities and city agencies on the rebuilding of homes and properties in the community. Partner organizations include Building and Safety, Public Works, L.A. Sanitation and Environment, L.A. Department of Transportation, L.A. City Planning, SoCalGas and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). In addition, LADWP has also deployed customer service representatives to the UUROC to handle the immediate needs of customers in the area. This includes starting and stopping services and assistance with account issues.
The long-term recovery efforts of rebuilding the Pacific Palisades will continue for the foreseeable future and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will be there to support its customers and the Pacific Palisades community.
“This event has affected everyone differently, but one thing we know, based on history and who we are, is we will get through it, and we will come back, and we will do better. We will do better by everyone who lives in the City of Los Angeles, and we will do better for the future.”
-Richard Katz, President – Board of Water and Power Commissioners
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Credit: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power