Months after Los Angeles-area wildfires, reservoir finally reopens

(The Center Square) — The Santa Ynez Reservoir has reopened — months after the devastating Palisades Fire.

Los Angeles locals and officials aren't happy with the delay.

"While I'm glad it's now back in service, the Santa Ynez Reservoir has been offline since early 2024, including on the one day in history it was needed most," Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Parks said in a statement, referring to the Palisades Fire. The blaze started Jan. 7 and burned more than 23,000 acres.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced Thursday that the reservoir, located on a hilltop right in the middle of the Palisades, has reopened after being offline since early 2024 for repairs. Locals were glad to hear the 117 million-gallon reservoir is operating again. However, they said the completion took too long since it was not open during the Palisades wildfire.

The Santa Ynez Reservoir was initially closed because of a tear in its cover discovered during LADWP’s routine monitoring process. The department had to close the reservoir to fix the damage to the cover.

The LADWP said rainwater buildup ended up extending the tear to 100 feet, and sun exposure and wildfire embers further damaged the cover's condition.

When the Palisades Fire began burning in January, the reservoir was completely empty.

Then-Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristen Crowley called out the city on Jan. 10, the third day of the Palisades Fire, for having no water in the Santa Ynez Reservoir. Crowley added that Los Angeles leadership had failed her.

In February, Mayor Karen Bass fired Crowley, criticizing her for placing firefighters off duty.

At the reservoir, repairs took longer than expected because of the amount of damage to the facility's cover, said Adam Perez, interim director of LADWP water operations.

"It was a delicate balance between expediting repairs while ensuring there are no remaining issues with the cover when we put the reservoir back in service,” Perez said.

The LADWP said the purpose for closed reservoirs is to protect drinking water from contamination. California requires the state have closed reservoirs to protect drinking water.

"The Santa Ynez Reservoir is a critical part of the drinking water distribution system and remains covered for safety and cleanliness," the LADWP said.

The LADWP also said it has open-air reservoirs that are used for emergency firefighting and water storage. Open-air reservoirs are used first during a wildfire.

The LADWP said its engineers are now working to develop a design for the Santa Ynez Reservoir cover that will enhance its durability and extend its service life to ensure the reservoir remains open during blazes such as the Palisades Fire.