L.A. Officials Warn of Compromised Drinking Water in Fire-Ravaged Areas
As fires across Los Angeles County start to wind down, health officials are warning about risks related to water systems in the area.
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Southern California’s ‘Rainy’ Season is Lacking One Major Thing
Southern California is in the midst of what the National Weather Service describes as a “remarkably dry rainy season,” with much of the region experiencing a record or near-record slow start.
An Even Bigger Threat is Looming Behind California’s Fires
Fires in and around Los Angeles continue to rage as gusting Santa Ana winds drive the flames through brush and into neighborhoods. Two major blazes, the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire, have combined burned almost 40,000 acres since last week. Another fire, the Auto Fire, erupted Monday evening in Ventura County. The fires have killed at least 24 people.
Residents Near Lake Hodges Concerned About Reservoir Water Levels
As wildfires rage in Los Angeles County and gusty Santa Anas sweep the region, residents near Lake Hodges say the scene is all too familiar.
“We’re all a little bit on edge as you can tell. The winds you’re feeling today are very similar to the winds that brought the fire down from Ramona and brought it through Lake Hodges,” said Robert Dudley, a resident near the lake.
Water Disinformation Is Spreading in Southern California Nearly as Quickly as Wildfires
A billionaire couple was accused of withholding water that could help stop Los Angeles’ massive wildfires. Democratic leadership was blamed for fire hydrants running dry and for an empty reservoir. Firefighters were criticized for allegedly using “women’s handbags” to fight the fires.
Pistachio Moguls and Reservoirs: False Water Claims Spread About California Fires
As massive fires continue to sweep through Los Angeles, firefighters are relying on local water infrastructure not designed for fires of this size, researchers say. Fires in California have grown more explosive because of climate change, which is largely driven by humans burning oil, gas and coal.
Santa Ana Winds Will Peak Wednesday and Be Followed by New Windstorm Monday
The Santa Ana winds that led San Diego Gas & Electric to shut off power to more than 5,900 customers on Tuesday are now reaching their peak and come amid dangerously low relative humidity across critically dry San Diego County, the National Weather Service says.
Lack of Water Pressure in Hydrants Not Uncommon in Large-Scale Fires, Engineer Says
An engineer explained to NBC 7’s Alexis Rivas how the placement of homes — like those in the Pacific Palisades — can impact water pressure in hydrants. However, he said there is no fire hydrant system in the nation designed for what happened last week.
San Jose Water Agency to Vote on Whether to Help Fund Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $20 Billion Delta Tunnel Project
Silicon Valley’s largest water agency will vote Tuesday on whether to support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to spend $20 billion to build a massive, 45-mile long tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to make it easier to move water from Northern California to Southern California.
Representing Water Authority, Director Katz Joins MWD Board
San Diego business and civic leader Mel Katz was seated today as San Diego County Water Authority’s newest representative on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Katz has served on the Water Authority’s board of directors since 2018, representing the city of Del Mar and served as chair from 2022 to 2024. Katz succeeds Tim Smith, who represented the Water Authority on Metropolitan’s 38-member board since January 2018.
Chair Emeritus Mel Katz is sworn in as the Water Authority’s new delegate to MWD
“Director Katz and I formed strong bonds of partnership and friendship between our agencies during his time as chair of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors. This will prove to be key to a new era of regionalism in water supply management encompassing all our member agencies including San Diego,” said Metropolitan board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. “Director Katz is bringing his skill as a consensus builder to Metropolitan for the benefit of all of Southern California and I heartedly welcome him on behalf of the board.”
Katz is the co-founder and executive officer of Manpower San Diego, a staffing services firm that has grown to become the largest Manpower franchise in the United States. He has a long resume of civic involvement, including serving as board chair of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Workforce Partnership, San Diego Convention Center, American Cancer Society and the San Diego Library Commission.
Katz and his wife Linda were named Mr. and Mrs. San Diego in 2017 by San Diego Rotary for their extensive community leadership. The couple has three children and five grandchildren.
This item was written by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
