JANUARY 17, 2025 EVENING UPDATE: LADWP’S WINDSTORM AND WILDFIRE RESPONSE

[Link] RESTORING POWER OUTAGE

LADWP received clearance Friday afternoon, January 17, from Unified Command to re-energize additional power lines serving approximately 6,700 customers. These lines were previously under fire hold for public safety reasons in parts of Brentwood, Bel-Air and Encino. Crews are working tonight to complete restoration to these customers. Fire holds on power lines are necessary to ensure conditions are safe before they are re-energized and our crews cannot restore power to these lines until authorized by Unified Command.

There are additional power lines located close to fire-burned areas that are expected to take longer for Unified Command to clear for restoration. Allowing certain power lines to be turned on before it is safe to do so can cause another fire. Fire officials are doing everything they can to help lift the fire holds where possible, while still actively working on full containment of the Palisades Fire.

If your neighbor's power is back and yours is not, your home could be served by a different power line that remains on a fire hold. Also, power lines in these neighborhoods often run north/south and through the hills, so it is possible that adjacent areas where fire holds have been lifted have power, while others nearby remain out with portions behind or near fire lines.

Customers with questions about the status of their service can call 1-800-DIAL-DWP
(1-800-342-5397) and a customer service representative.

LADWP will remain in close coordination with Unified Command and restore power as clearance is received. This same process will continue until all affected lines on fire hold are cleared for restoration.

We will provide further updates to the community as they become available from Unified Command and our crews. We also encourage our customers to sign up for Nextdoor and follow us and will also post the latest information to our newsroom at www.ladwpnews.com.

WATER QUALITY UPDATES AND NOTICE
A DO NOT DRINK NOTICE remains in effect for 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.

Read Official Do Not Drink Notice

Today, LADWP launched a new interactive map where customers can enter their address to check if they are in the Do Not Drink notice affected areas.

Click to check Interactive Map App : Use our interactive LADWP Service Area Map App to see if your home falls within the designated areas.

Review Information on LADWP Bottled Water Distribution

We know that water quality advisories can cause significant inconvenience to customers. Please know that we will always put your safety first. This notice was issued out of an abundance of caution due to the operating conditions (water pressure), location of fire, and distribution system hydraulics.

Water Quality Testing and Customer Support
LADWP tests water quality locations throughout the City on a daily basis, including weekends and holidays. The rigorous monitoring program includes collection of over 25,000 samples, 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.

Any customer with water quality concerns, can contact us at 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397) and we will work with our LADWP's Water Quality Customer Care Team. We offer free technical assistance and water quality testing to any customer in our service territory, landlord or tenant.

CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE
We encourage any customer whose home or business has been damaged or destroyed as a result of the fires to call 1-800-DIAL-DWP. Our customer service representatives can assist with stopping billing, pausing automatic bill pay and assist with other account matters.

We are currently making changes to our billing system to turn off bill reminders, late and disconnect notices in the 90272 Zip Code. If you receive such a notice, we want to assure you that we will not disconnect any service for nonpayment in the 90272 Zip Code area. If your home is uninhabitable and you receive a past-due or disconnect notice, please disregard.

For LADWP customers whose property has been damaged or destroyed and have customer service needs related to their water and/or power service, please call us at 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397). Our customer service team is ready to assist you in turning off service, managing your bill and answering any other questions about your service.

RESTORING WATER PRESSURE TO PACIFIC PALISADES
Our crews have completed over 5,000 repairs in the Palisades area to restore pressure to the area and have fully refilled the three, one-million gallon tanks serving the higher elevations.

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.

No power was lost to LADWP pump stations 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.

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