In Focus
Persistence and Optimism: The Tireless Effort to Restore Water Quality in Pacific Palisades
by Albert Rodriguez
The Pacific Palisades fire of January 2025 will long be remembered as a seminal moment in the history of the City of Los Angeles for the physical destruction and the emotional anguish it caused to those affected by it. But this event can also be remembered for the way that LADWP employees came together and rolled up their sleeves to provide an unprecedented response deeply rooted in their sense of commitment and service to our customers.
As the winds died out and the fires were contained, LADWP and our employees focused on the next phase of the recovery, which remained urgent and at the same time daunting. A water restoration action plan was needed to be able to lift the Do Not Drink Notice in place. The plan would need details on how the Department would conduct large-scale water quality flushing and testing. In addition, the plan would also need approval by state regulators, a public communications messaging strategy, and the coordination of bottled water distribution centers. More importantly, this effort also needed to maintain the trust and confidence of local residents, many of whom still had homes intact, but were left without vital utility services.
A Department-wide team was assembled to staff a new Water Quality Incident Command (WQIC) on January 27. Most WQIC members had already participated in the Emergency Operations Center that dealt with the initial fire response. And so, the WQIC team was able to get down to business right away, identifying the objectives and tackling each one with persistence, thoroughness, and a positive attitude.
“The critical success factor was the team’s resolve and adaptability. Even the best made plans run into unforeseen challenges, but the team developed numerous contingency plans to deal with unprecedented circumstances, while maintaining a strong will that refused to allow any setbacks to overshadow the needs of our customers. In spite of many unforeseen challenges, the restoration continued in a timely, safe manner that exceeded everyone’s expectations and really showed what LADWP is capable of when we all work towards a common goal.”
Jonathan Leung, LADWP Water Quality Director
The Plan
A Boil Water Notice for Pacific Palisades was first issued on January 8 for zip code 90272 and adjacent communities north of San Vicente Boulevard, but by January 10, the Water Quality Division elevated this to a Do Not Drink Notice due to the potential for fire-related contaminants entering the water distribution system.
Even as the fires were raging, staff had already started working on a comprehensive plan to screen, test, and restore water. A multi-step process was required for flushing, testing, and retesting the water distribution pipes and laterals within the nine service zones that comprised the affected area. This included three tanks that supplied water to portions of the Palisades.
Restoration Steps and Regulatory Process
Keeping the flow of transparent and timely information was key to providing hope and reassurance to members of the community. Due to the complexity of the system, water quality could not be restored all at once. In order to lift the notice, the nine service zones would have to be cleared in two phases. While this process was taking place, residents in the area still needed drinking water. Bottled water distribution stations would have to be established at key points around the neighborhood.
At the same time, LADWP had to work in close collaboration with other responding agencies, especially with the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (CA-DDW) to carry out the plan and lift the notice.
The Challenges
Due to the complexity of the restoration process and the various service zones, the communication to the public, media, and CA-DDW would have to be accurate and readily available. Customers wanted to know what was in their water, whether it was safe, and what actions LADWP was taking. At times the flushing and testing process went smoothly; at other times, the process would experience unexpected challenges, including rain events, accessibility, and detections of volatile organic compounds such as benzene that necessitated re-flushing and re-testing.
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Out in the field, damage assessment discovered burned or destroyed meters that had to be replaced. The environment was also challenging for crews. The smell of ash was at times overpowering and required protective masks in order to breathe. When the rains came, customer meter vaults flooded or were covered by mudslides, sample locations had to be relocated, and the flushing/stagnation process had to start over. Spirits would rise and fall in the WQIC as reports would come in from the field or from the laboratory. Yet throughout it all, executives, office, and field staff maintained a positive attitude as they systematically cleared one pressure zone after another.
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“What I witnessed was everyone coming together to support each other. When Water System needed help, Power and Joint Systems stepped up quickly. I didn’t feel like I was part of the Water System, I felt like I was part of the LADWP family.”
Serge Haddad, LADWP Assistant Water Quality Director
The Plan in Action
Water Quality, Enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS), and Communications staff worked quickly and collaboratively 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 helped visualize complex data in a customer-friendly manner. The dashboard provided water quality results by service zone, giving residents and elected officials the most localized results possible.
Typically, a project like this could take several months—sometimes even longer depending on scope and data availability. With everyone aligned and focused, the team was able to activate the sites in record time thanks to close coordination and a team-wide push.
To address the immediate need for clean drinking water, up to five locations were established to distribute bottled water for customers around various neighborhood focal points, including recreation centers, parks, and libraries. In addition, LADWP staff worked with the Red Cross to distribute water at other sites and in some cases do home deliveries to customers unable to reach a distribution site.
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 and flushing took place along the 100 miles of the distribution system that resembled a weblike grid with varying levels of elevation and pressure. This was followed by thorough and accurate water quality testing of over 460 samples. Our field personnel worked block by block and door to door, while Water Quality staff and management in the WQIC helped coordinate resources. One by one, the pressure zones were checked off like mile markers on a long quest.
This video was shared during the water restoration process as part of LADWP's public communications outreach.
Water Quality Customer Care, Communications & Community Affairs, and Customer Service worked together to develop materials and information that would be made available to customers, media, and the public at large. The consistent messaging helped maintain a steady stream of accurate and timely information that dissuaded any public speculation or erroneous assumptions about the progress being made.
“I think that what made such a fast and successful effort was the collaboration and dedication of the staff that worked long hours, through weekends and holidays, to make the restoration a priority. It has been such an honor to work alongside a team that took the initiative, supporting each other and bringing individual expertise to create innovative solutions together.”
Berenice Barajas, Utility Services Manager - Water Quality Customer Care
The Restoration
Finally, on March 10, the cancellation of the Do Not Drink Notice was announced following approval by CA-DDW. Multiple methods were used to spread the word, including individual door-hangers, standard and digital signs, website information, news and social media announcements, and the customer-subscribed phone call/email notification system. Over 100 LADWP employees volunteered to canvass the community to distribute door hangers and post signage in prominent locations. They informed residents and provided advice on flushing of their indoor plumbing.
“Our role at the State Water Resources Control Board is to ensure that public water systems follow best practices for testing and flushing after potential contamination events. In the aftermath of the catastrophic wildfires, we partnered closely with LADWP to provide guidance on meeting state and federal drinking water standards. We commend LADWP for restoring safe drinking water to Pacific Palisades and for meeting the rigorous standards required to protect public health. For a community recovering from a historic wildfire, confidence in the safety of their water is a vital step toward rebuilding. It’s clear that a great deal of technical expertise and commitment went into bringing the system back online safely.”
Darrin Polhemus, State Water Resources Control Board’s Deputy Director of the Division of Drinking
The long-term recovery of the Pacific Palisades will continue for the foreseeable future, and LADWP will be there to support our customers and the Pacific Palisades community. Water quality testing and monitoring will continue, even though the Do Not Drink Notice has been lifted. This is to ensure that the water quality in the Palisades and the entire city continues to meet Federal and State drinking water standards.
The accomplishment of this tremendous, multi-faceted effort would not have been possible without the tireless work of all the groups involved. The WQIC was comprised of the following groups:
- Water Quality Control
- Compliance Monitoring Programs
- Water Quality Laboratory
- Regulatory Affairs & Consumer Protection
- Property Management Group
- Treatment Operations
- Water Control
- Water Distribution
- Customer Service
- Communications & Community Affairs
- Water Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Enterprise GIS
- Fleet Services
Their actions, born out of the great desire to serve our customers will certainly be used as a case study for future restoration efforts. The Pacific Palisades water quality restoration is a testament to their skill, ingenuity, and unwavering belief in one another.
