section_path: Reactions/Criticism towards the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
section_name: Criticism towards the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
paragraph_text: Criticism towards the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
  
  Social media users have criticized Los Angeles city officials and the Department of Water and Power (DWP) for not maintaining adequate water supplies and flow across the city during the fire. Rick Caruso, a real estate developer, former DWP Commissioner and runner-up in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, criticized Mayor Bass and Los Angeles's inadequate firefighting infrastructure, stating, "The firefighters are there, and there's nothing they can do." State and local officials have denied that state water distribution choices or supply problems caused the issues, instead citing demand that surpassed the water system's designed capacity. Around 40 percent of Los Angeles city water comes from state-controlled projects connected to northern California, and the southern California reservoirs have been reported to be at above-average levels.
  
  Altadena residents whose residences were destroyed in the fire also criticized the lack of coordination regarding recovery assistance, communication, and reconstruction leadership, in part due to Altadena's unincorporated status giving it no city hall or clear centralized command. In response to criticism levied against the department regarding the empty Santa Ynez Reservoir prior to the fires, the DWP released a statement targeting misinformation in accusations against their role in the fires' spread. It stated that the reservoir was taken offline to comply with Los Angeles's drinking water regulations, and that the repair process was subject to the Los Angeles city charter's competitive bidding requirements, delaying the timeline for its return to use. The statement also reported that its fire hydrants were fully operational and in full compliance with LAFD inspections prior to the disaster, and that its water infrastructure met all requirements from established state and federal fire codes.
  
  Social media users have criticized Los Angeles city officials and the Department of Water and Power (DWP) for not maintaining adequate water supplies and flow across the city during the fire. Rick Caruso, a real estate developer, former DWP Commissioner and runner-up in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, criticized Mayor Bass and Los Angeles's inadequate firefighting infrastructure, stating, "The firefighters are there, and there's nothing they can do." State and local officials have denied that state water distribution choices or supply problems caused the issues, instead citing demand that surpassed the water system's designed capacity. Around 40 percent of Los Angeles city water comes from state-controlled projects connected to northern California, and the southern California reservoirs have been reported to be at above-average levels.
  
  Altadena residents whose residences were destroyed in the fire also criticized the lack of coordination regarding recovery assistance, communication, and reconstruction leadership, in part due to Altadena's unincorporated status giving it no city hall or clear centralized command. In response to criticism levied against the department regarding the empty Santa Ynez Reservoir prior to the fires, the DWP released a statement targeting misinformation in accusations against their role in the fires' spread. It stated that the reservoir was taken offline to comply with Los Angeles's drinking water regulations, and that the repair process was subject to the Los Angeles city charter's competitive bidding requirements, delaying the timeline for its return to use. The statement also reported that its fire hydrants were fully operational and in full compliance with LAFD inspections prior to the disaster, and that its water infrastructure met all requirements from established state and federal fire codes.