Drained LA reservoir in worst fire-ravaged area has repeatedly needed similar repairs: report

The major reservoir that was drained and out-of-commission when the deadly Los Angeles wildfires broke out has repeatedly needed similar repairs in recent years, a new report says.

The 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir in the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades neighborhood was empty and undergoing fixes to its torn cover when the historic blaze started ravaging the region a week ago.

The supply system, operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), had been sitting empty since February 2024 due to pending repairs to its floating cover.

But the cover, which is designed to keep the water free of contaminants, also required repairs just two years earlier, according to regulatory filings obtained by the Wall Street Journal.

The cover was installed in 2011 and was supposed to have a 20-year useful life span, the documents show.

The LADWP — the largest US municipal utility — awarded the repair work contract to Layfield Group in both 2022 and 2024, per the records.

LADWP and local officials have faced mounting scrutiny ever since it emerged that the major reservoir had been shuttered for repairs by the time fire crews started battling the deadly Palisades Fire in the wealthy Los Angeles community.

Reports surfaced, too, that firefighters were struggling to fight the flames after local hydrants ran dry due to low water pressure.

Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday called for a probe into how the Santa Ynez Reservoir went dry amid the reports crews were struggling to get enough water to battle the inferno.

Newsom, who has been ripped by President-elect Donald Trump over his handling of the historic fires, called the reports “deeply troubling.”

LADWP said it would be conducting its own review, though they stopped short of addressing the cover’s required fixes.

“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,” an LADWP spokesperson said.

Layfield, the contracting firm, also hasn’t commented publicly about the repairs.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of residents and others affected by the historic blaze accuses the public utility of failing to properly manage water supplies.

“The water supply system servicing Pacific Palisades failed miserably, leaving residents and firefighters with little to no water to fight the blaze,” Roger Behle, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, said in a statement.

The Palisades Fire, which has killed at least eight people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, had already burned through more than 23,700 acres as of late Monday.

With Post wires