After a long period of repairs, the reservoir in Pacific Palisades has started to be used again
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Electricity announced Thursday that the San Ines Reservoir in Palisades in the Pacific was finally back online during the January fire.
The reservoir has been shut down since early 2024 because of the large tear on its floating cover that needs repair.
DWP officials thought the repair was completed about three months ago Further tears and leaks In the floating cover. They then drain the reservoir again for additional repairs.
DWP said the diver’s crew helped to find and fix the leak in the cover as part of the work, and the reservoir is now running after workers completed inspections and testing.
“The repairs took longer than expected, as heavy rain damage, exposure and wildfire embers further worsened the cover’s condition,” said Adam Perez, DWP’s interim water operations director.
“It’s a delicate balance between speeding up repairs while ensuring there are no problems left on the cover,” Perez said.
DWP announced in email statement The current reservoir is now in operation again. It has not resolved Ongoing query Why the reservoirs are offline during the Palisade Fire and whether this could lead to Water supply issues When a firefighter encounters a fire hydrant that loses pressure and is dry.
DWP officials did not respond to requests Thursday for more information on the status of the query.
Traci Park, a city council member representing the area, said completing a long repair point to the need to improve the way the city manages its infrastructure.
“While I’m glad I’ve been back on service now, the reservoirs have been offline since early 2024, including the most needed day in history,” Parker said. “Our water infrastructure must be ready every day. Anything less puts everything we cherish in danger.”
Residents of Pacific Palisades questioned why the reservoir was empty when the Palisades fire broke out and destroyed thousands of houses.
January fires in the Pacific Palisade, Altadna and nearby areas claimed at least 30 lives and damaged or destroyed more than 18,000 homes and other buildings.
The floating cap of the reservoir is required to be made of synthetic rubber to protect stored water in compliance with federal drinking water regulations.
DWP drained the reservoir in early 2024 after workers discovered the pool on the lid and determined there was a significant tear. The agency said the rain had tears increased by about 100 feet after the rain, which complicated the repair work.
The task of fixed covers was done for competitive bidding, a process that ended up taking nine months. Only one supplier, Layfield Group, submitted a bid for the job, which was officially approved in late 2024.
Repairs had not yet begun when the Palisade fire broke out in January. After the fire, Layfield’s team was sent for preliminary repairs and check for other losses.
DWP said in a statement that as the repair work is completed, its engineers are providing solutions for the cover of the reservoir, “it will combine enhanced design for greater durability and extended service life.”
The total storage capacity of the partially filled reservoir is now 117 million gallons.
The main function of the St. Ines Reservoir is to provide supplemental supply during high water use, DWP said. The agency said the reservoir also provides redundancy if other infrastructures that provide the area are problematic.
Unlike open-air reservoirs for emergency firefighting, the St. Ines Reservoir is a “critical part of the drinking water distribution system and is covered for safety and cleaning,” DWP said. Even if the reservoir is offline, the main water supply “is still in operation, meeting the requirements of fire regulations.”
Times worker Matt Hamilton contributed to the report.
