Residents of Pacific Palisades are suing the Los Angeles Department of Power and Water after the Palisades fire burnt more than 20,000 acres, destroying thousands of structures and killing at least 8 people.
The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges mismanagement of the neighborhood’s water, leaving firefighters struggling to contain the blaze.
“The Santa Ynez Reservoir, a 117- million-gallon water storage complex that is part of the Los Angeles water supply system was empty, and had been empty for nearly a year,” the filing states.
Attorneys allege LA DWP did not repair the reservoir cover in a timely manner, and left it unusable as a “cost-saving” measure.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for an independent investigation into the empty reservoir, calling the discovery “deeply troubling.”