The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said Thursday that Santa Ynez Reservoir in Pacific Palisades, which was closed and undergoing repairs during the January inferno, is now operational again.
Due to a large tear in its floating cover that needed to be repaired, the reservoir had not been in use since the beginning of 2024.
About three months ago, DWP officials believed the repairs were finished. However, in April, while refilling the reservoir, they found more tears and leaks in the floating cover. To make room for more repairs, they drained the reservoir once more.
According to the DWP, the reservoir is now operational following the completion of inspections and testing, and a team of divers assisted in locating and fixing pinhole-sized leaks in the cover as part of the project.
According to Adam Perez, the DWP’s interim director of water operations, repairs took longer than anticipated since the cover’s condition had been further worsened by monsoon damage, sun exposure, and wildfire embers.
Thanking the contractors and workers for their hard work and dedication to getting the reservoir back into service, Perez remarked, “It was a delicate balance between expediting repairs and making sure there are no remaining issues with the cover when we put the reservoir back in service.”
Environment & Climate
Legislators in California are being urged by an independent panel to establish a new body to supervise reconstruction following the firestorms in Altadena and Pacific Palisades.
In an email, the DWP declared that the reservoir was once again operating. As firefighters came across hydrants that had lost pressure and run empty, it failed to address persistent questions about why the reservoir was down during the Palisades fire and whether this might have contributed to issues with the water supply.
Requests for more details regarding the progress of the investigations were not answered by DWP officials on Thursday.
The completion of the extensive renovations, according to local representative Traci Park of the L.A. City Council, indicates that the city’s infrastructure management needs to be improved.
The reservoir has been out of commission since early 2024, including on the one day in history when it was most required, but I’m happy it’s back in operation, Park remarked. Every day, our water infrastructure needs to be prepared for emergencies. Anything less jeopardizes everything we value.
Pacific Palisades locals have questioned why the reservoir was deserted at the time of the Palisades fire, which burned thousands of homes.
At least 30 people lost their lives as a result of the January fires in Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and the surrounding neighborhoods, which also damaged or destroyed over 18,000 homes and other structures.
In order for the stored water to meet federal drinking water standards, a synthetic rubber floating cover is required for the reservoir.
When workers discovered water accumulating on the lid and discovered a large tear, the DWP drained the reservoir in early 2024. According to the organization, rain caused the tear to enlarge to around 100 feet, making repairs more difficult.
It took nine months in the end to fix the cover after it was put out to a competitive bid. The work was formally approved in late 2024 after only one vendor, Layfield Group, filed a bid.
When the Palisades fire broke out in January, repairs had not yet started. Layfield’s team was dispatched to perform the initial repairs and check for further damage following the incident.
Following the completion of the repairs, the DWP said in a statement that its engineers were developing solutions for the reservoir’s cover that would include an improved design for increased longevity and service life.
Environment & Climate
Extremely dry circumstances caused the California fires to start. Scientists at UCLA claim that the ferocity of the fire was influenced by the severe heat associated with climate change.
With its current half filling, the reservoir can hold 117 million gallons of water.
The DWP states that the main function of Santa Ynez Reservoir is to offer additional water during times of high demand. According to the agency, in the event that other infrastructure servicing the area experiences issues, the reservoir also offers redundancy.
According to the DWP, Santa Ynez Reservoir is an essential component of the drinking water distribution system and is kept covered for safety and sanitation, in contrast to open-air reservoirs utilized for emergency firefighting. It stated that the main water supply has continued to function, satisfying fire code standards, even when the reservoir is down.
This report was written by Matt Hamilton, a staff writer for the Times.
