As the LA wildfires rage, a water system expert has a message for the public.
First responders are working hard to fight the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, but many members of the public are questioning what could have happened and if policy mistakes are hindering firefighting efforts. Katherine Sorenson, who heads water and wastewater utilities for two major Arizona cities, says there are key facts about our water system.
“Municipal water utility systems are not designed to fight a large wildfire,” Sorensen told Fox News. “They are designed with enough storage to meet demands under normal operating conditions and to fight two relatively localized fires of relatively short duration.”
Sorenson acknowledges that there are valid discussions about the capacity of our current water systems and their use.
“If we are looking at a hot and dry future, we need to think and rethink these reservoirs, their capacity, operational priorities, how we move water and for what purpose. That.”
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The sun rises over homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The Santa Ynez Reservoir near the Palisades Fire has been empty since February 2024 and has become the focus of a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). According to a Reuters report, the lawsuit accuses LADWP of delaying maintenance work to reduce reservoir costs.
In a statement, LADWP said it closed the reservoir “to meet clean drinking water regulations” and said the delay in maintenance was due to the city’s “time-consuming competitive bidding process.” The agency also said it would conduct its own investigation.
“LADWP has built more of the Pacific Palisades water system than is needed to support the community’s normal needs,” LADWP wrote in a statement. “As we face the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience, we welcome revisions and updates to these rules and requirements if the city’s water system is used to fight catastrophic wildfires.”
Burnt buildings are seen in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood as smoke billows from the Palisades fire in Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 2025. (Reuters/Mike Blake)
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When discussing the main reservoir at the center of the debate, Sorensen expressed doubts that “even if it is full, it is impossible to change the tide.” She believes that “the scale of the wildfires would have overwhelmed the entire system, even the Santa Ynez Reservoir.”
“Now, it’s possible — I don’t know that we have all the facts yet — that maybe if the Santa Ynez Reservoir had been full, it could have provided additional water pressures in these hillside pressure zones and caused a change to one or more structures, homes or businesses,” Sorenson said.
While this may make a difference on an individual level, it doesn’t make a difference to the “whole neighborhood,” Sorensen said.
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In the year An aerial view of coastal homes destroyed along Pacific Coast Highway by the Palisades Fire, which caused damage and loss throughout the LA region on January 16, 2025 in Malibu, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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friday morning Cal fire More than 40,600 acres were reported burned and more than 12,300 structures were destroyed by the fire. At least 27 people have been confirmed dead in the fire, but the toll could rise as dozens are still missing.