A lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on Monday accuses the public utility of failing to properly manage water supplies critical to fighting the deadly Palisades Fire, a court filing showed, Report informs via Reuters.
The complaint, filed on behalf of residents and others affected by the historic blaze that destroyed the wealthy Los Angeles community of Pacific Palisades last week, says LADWP should have maintained water in a nearby reservoir, which was dry at the time the flames erupted.
“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 LADWP, which is the largest US municipal utility, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment outside of regular business hours.
The Santa Ynez Reservoir, which can hold as much 117 million gallons (443 million liters) of water, had been empty since February 2024, the lawsuit said.
The complaint, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by law firm Robertson & Associates and Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis, claimed LADWP delayed repair work on the water resource to cut costs.