Unsafe water advisory issued as Eaton and Palisades fires affect water supply
Unsafe water alerts have been issued for areas near the Eaton and Palisades fires on Wednesday, Jan. 9 as the firefighting efforts have resulted in low water pressure and debris in the supply.
An unsafe water alert was sent out Wednesday evening for those in the Eaton fire evacuated areas of Pasadena, stating that the water is unsafe until further notice due to potential impact from the Eaton fire.
The Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) drinking water system potentially has debris and elevated turbidity, which is a measure of how cloudy water is.
No one in the evacuated area should drink tap water and should instead use only bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice, preparing food or feeding pets or other animals until further notice. Residents should not try to treat the water themselves by boiling, freezing, filtering, adding disinfectants or letting the water stand.
None of these steps will make the water safe to drink.
The city stated in an Instagram post that tap water is currently still safe to use for those located in yellow evacuation warning zones or outside evacuation zones.
The PWP does not currently have a timeline for when the water will be safe again, but the public will be informed when the issue is resolved.
The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) advised those in the 90272 zip code area and adjacent areas north of San Vicente Boulevard to use only boiled tap or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes, due to low water pressure “stemming from high water usage to respond to the Pacific Palisades wildfire.” Consumers should boil water and let it cool for at least a minute before use or use bottled water.
LADWP is working to re-pressurize the system, but will also need to conduct water quality tests before water is safe to use again. It will take at least 48 hours to restore water pressure and determine water safety, according to the LADWP.
Both agencies warned that consuming unsafe water can result in illnesses.
For more information regarding the water in the Eaton fire area, call PWP’s 24-Hour Emergency Line at 626-744-4138.
Those looking for more information regarding the water system in the Palisades fire area can call 800-675-4357.