JANUARY 23, 2025, UPDATE: LADWP’S WINDSTORM AND WILDFIRE RESPONSE

POWER RESTORATION IN PACIFIC PALISADES AND FIRE-AFFECTED AREAS
LADWP crews, joined by mutual assistance partners from PG&E and the Navajo Nation, continue working in the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas, to inspect overhead and underground power lines, cut down damaged wires, and repair broken power poles. Performing the inspections and repairs enables crews to quickly and safely restore power to affected customers once Palisades Fire Unified Command lifts fire holds that are in place on certain power lines, for safety purposes.

As of Thursday morning, January 23, the number of customers in the Pacific Palisades without power remains at approximately 8,410. These customers are in, or close to, fire damaged areas that LADWP crews cannot safely access or in areas where it is unsafe to re-energize power lines.

If you have been allowed to return to your home and find your power is out but your immediate neighbors' electricity is on, please check your electrical panel. If power remains out on your street or block unlike others in your area, LADWP crews are still inspecting and repairing the power lines that supply power to your street to ensure they are safe to restore or awaiting the clearance from Unified Command before restoring power. Allowing power lines to be turned on before it is safe to do so can create a public safety hazard.

LADWP remains in close coordination with Unified Command led by CalFire and will continue working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible, as clearance is received.

WATER QUALITY UPDATES AND NOTICE
The Do Not Drink Noticeremains in effect in the Pacific Palisades zip code 90272, and adjacent communities in the LADWP service area immediately south of the 90272-zip code that are north of San Vicente Blvd. Note that the Brentwood neighborhood is NOT included in the Do Not Drink Notice affected area. An interactive map is available where LADWP customers can enter their address to check if they are in the Do Not Drink Notice affected areas. Click to check Interactive Map App.

LADWP has prepared a guide on recommendations for tap water use while the Do Not Drink Notice remains in effect. Click here to read the guidelines.

To restore safe and reliable drinking water to the impacted communities, LADWP is taking the necessary steps in coordination with the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water to methodically and rigorously screen, flush and test the water in the affected areas. Our goal is to restore and ensure the highest drinking water quality for the communities we serve.

Meanwhile, LADWP's water quality team continues with the standard operating procedure of testing the quality of drinking water citywide, while intensifying the sampling and testing in the areas impacted by the Do Not Drink Notice. LADWP will provide timely updates to the public and residents of Council District 11 of any changes that would require an adjustment to water quality advisory boundaries.

LADWP is providing bottled drinking water to all impacted customers. For the most recent information on the Bottled Water Distribution for LADWP customers, visitladwpnews.com/bottled-water-info.

Outside of this emergency response, LADWP tests water quality locations daily throughout the city, including weekends and holidays. The rigorous monitoring program includes collection of over 25,000 samples annually, and it is the basis for LADWP's operational assessments and regulatory reporting. Citywide water quality data remains within normal ranges and continues to meet all drinking water standards for areas not impacted by the Do Not Drink Notice.

Customers with water quality concerns can contact LADWP at 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397) for referral to our Water Quality Customer Care Team. They offer free technical assistance and water quality testing to any customer in our service territory, landlord or tenant.

CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE
LADWP encourages any customer whose home or business has been damaged or destroyed as a result of the fires to call 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397). Customer service representatives can assist with stopping billing, pausing automatic bill pay and help with other account matters.

Changes have been made to the billing system to turn off bill reminders, late and disconnect notices in the 90272 zip code. If any customers in the 90272 zip code receives such a notice, rest assured that their water and power services will not be disconnected for nonpayment. To our customers: f your home is uninhabitable and you receive a past-due or disconnect notice, please disregard.

LADWP FACILITIES AND ASSETS AFFECTED BY THE HUGHES FIRE
LADWP continues to monitor the situation around the Hughes Fire. LADWP's Castaic Power Plant and the San Francisquito Power Plant 2, are located in the evacuation zone of the Hughes Fire, and employees working in those facilities were evacuated Wednesday afternoon.

All four LADWP transmission lines out of the Castaic Power Plant that were deenergized as a precaution Wednesday afternoon - the Castaic - Haskell 1, 2, 3 and Castaic - Northridge Line 1, have been reenergized.

On Wednesday afternoon, the first of the four transmission lines turned itself off automatically, to protect itself, due to the smoke from the Hughes Fire. LADWP's Energy Command Center remotely deenergized the other three lines just minutes later as a precaution, to help with firefighting efforts as well as to protect our equipment. Due to low energy demand in January, the de-energization of these transmission lines will not affect LADWP's power supply.

LADWP RESERVOIRS AVAILABLE FOR FIGHTING THE HUGHES FIRE
Since the Hughes fire broke out on Wednesday, January 23, LADWP's Elderberry Forebay Reservoir at LADWP's Castaic Power Plant, has been used as a water source by aerial firefighting units combatting the fire. LADWP's Castaic Power Plant, located northwest of Castaic Lake, generates hydroelectric power for LADWP's grid.

CORRECTING MISINFORMATION ABOUT LADWP'S WATER SYSTEM
Any assertion that fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades were broken before the Palisades fire is misleading and false . LADWP works with LAFD, which is responsible for inspecting fire hydrants citywide. LADWP repaired every hydrant needing repairs as reported by LA Fire Department inspectors. LADWP's fire hydrant repair list was current and updated, and all reported fire hydrants were fully operational in the Pacific Palisades and in L.A.'s Westside communities prior to the fire.

All LADWP pump stations remained operational during the fire, and water supply remained strong to the area. Water pressure in the system was lost due to unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support. This impacted our ability to refill the three water tanks supplying the Palisades. This impacted a low percentage of hydrants in the area, mostly in the higher elevations. As soon as LADWP identified the risk of losing water in the tanks and water pressure in the system, we immediately deployed potable water tankers to sustain support for firefighting efforts.

LADWP was required to take the Santa Ynez Reservoir out of service to meet safe drinking water regulations. To commission the support and resources to implement repairs to Santa Ynez, LADWP is subject to the city charter's competitive bidding process which requires time.

The water system serving the Pacific Palisades area and all of Los Angeles meets all federal and state fire codes for urban development and housing. LADWP built the Pacific Palisades water system beyond the requirements to support the community's typical needs. As we face the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience, we welcome a review and update of these codes and requirements if city water systems will be used to fight extreme wildfires. LADWP is initiating our own investigation about water resiliency and how we can enhance our posture to respond to the impacts of climate change.

Follow LADWP via X (@ladwp), on NextDoor and LADWP's newsroom for the latest information and updates.

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