Water systems expert has a message for the public as LA wildfires rage

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Water systems expert sends message to the public amid LA wildfires

Kathryn Sorensen, a water system resilience expert, says our current systems aren’t designed to fight the kind of fires people are seeing in Los Angeles.

First responders are hard at work combating the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, while many members of the public question what could have caused the fires and if policy missteps hampered firefighting efforts. Kathryn Sorensen, who ran water and wastewater utilities for two major Arizona cities, says there are key facts about our water system that need to be understood.

“Municipal water utility systems really are not designed to fight large-scale wildfires,” Sorensen told Fox News. “They are designed with enough storage to meet demands under normal operating conditions and to fight a couple of relatively localized structure fires of a relatively short duration.”

Sorensen acknowledged that there are valid discussions to be had about the capacity of our current water systems and how they are used.

“If we’re looking at a hotter, drier future, then we probably do need to take a look at these reservoirs, at their capacities, at their operational priorities, at how we’re moving that water and for what purpose, and rethink that.”  

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The sun rises over homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.  (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The Santa Ynez Reservoir, located near the Palisades Fire, was revealed to have been empty since February 2024 and has become the focal point of a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). In the lawsuit, LADWP is accused of delaying repairs for the reservoir to cut costs, according to a Reuters report.

In a statement, LADWP said it had shut down the reservoir to “meet safe drinking water regulations” and blamed delays to repairs on the city’s “competitive bidding process which requires time.” Additionally, the agency said it would be conducting its own investigation.

“LADWP built the Pacific Palisades water system beyond the requirements to support the community’s typical needs,” LADWP wrote in a statement. “As we face the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience, we welcome a review and update of these codes and requirements if city water systems will be used to fight extreme wildfires.”

Burned structures lie in ruins in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, as smoke from the Palisades Fire rises in the backgroun  in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2025.  (REUTERS/Mike Blake)

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When discussing the major reservoir at the center of the controversy, Sorensen expressed doubts that “even had it been filled, it is unlikely to have turned the tide.” She also believes that “the scale of the wildfire was likely to overwhelm” the system even with a full Santa Ynez Reservoir.

“Now, it’s possible – I don’t know that we have all the facts yet – it’s possible that had the Santa Ynez Reservoir been full, it could’ve provided additional water pressures up in these hillside pressure zones and could have made a difference for one or more structures, homes or businesses,” Sorensen said.

While this could have made a difference on individual levels, it likely would not have made a difference to “an entire neighborhood,” according to Sorensen.

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An aerial view of beachside homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire along Pacific Coast Highway as wildfires cause damage and loss throughout the LA region on Jan. 16, 2025 in Malibu, California.  ( Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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On Friday morning, Cal Fire reported that over 40,600 acres had been burned, and more than 12,300 structures were destroyed in the fires. At least 27 people were confirmed to have been killed in the blaze, though that number could rise as dozens are still missing.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

Related Topics

• LA Fires
• Water
• California
• Fire Disasters