Newsom calls for independent investigation of LA Department of Water and Power

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called for an independent investigation of the Los Angeles Department Water and Power on Friday amid reported water supply issues during this week's wildfires.

In a letter addressed to the CEO and chief engineer of the department and the director of LA County Public Works, Newsom called the reports “deeply troubling.”

“While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors,” Newsom wrote.

“I have directed state water and firefighting officials to prepare an independent after-incident report examining the causes of lost water supply and water pressure in municipal water systems during the fire events, and to identify measures that local government can implement to provide adequate water supply for emergency response during future catastrophic events,” he continued.

Questions are mounting about the region’s water supply as firefighters struggled to contain the flames. The Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Pacific Palisades was closed for repairs and empty as wildfires raged through the region, according to multiple media reports. The reservoir normally holds 117 million gallons of water.

Newsom cited the reports about the reservoir in his letter in addition to fire hydrants running dry in the affected areas.

The development comes as Newsom and other state and local officials have come under scrutiny for the preparedness and response to the fires. Earlier this week President-elect Trump called on Newsom to resign and said he should have signed a declaration to pump additional water through California to avert the situation.

Newsom’s office hit back against the accusation, calling it “pure fiction.”

“There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction. The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need,” said Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s director of communications.

The wildfires have left at least 10 people dead and destroyed more than 10,000 structures. More than 300,000 residents are under evacuations or warnings.

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