Thousands without water in Granada Hills, Porter Ranch amid elevated fire weather
Water outage in SFV could last through weekend
More than 9,000 people in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch do not have water, as crews work to repair a broken valve. But officials say customers could be without water through the weekend.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Amid a heatwave and heightened fire danger, residents in Porter Ranch and Granada Hills remain without water due to a failed valve at a pump station.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Thousands without water in Porter Ranch, Granada Hills: DWP
Officials said repair efforts are complicated, and a boil water notice is in effect.
What we know:
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) crews are working to fix a failed valve at a pump station affecting water service in Porter Ranch and Granada Hills. The valve failure has left a 10 million-gallon tank empty, impacting thousands of residents who now have little to no water. The faulty valve is located 24 feet underground, complicating repair efforts due to the presence of oil pipelines, a gas line, and large boulders.
The LA City Fire Department has pre-deployed water tenders and increased patrols in affected neighborhoods to mitigate fire risks.
Water outages could last through the weekend
What they're saying:
Residents who have a little bit of water are asked to boil the water before using it for any purpose.
"Effective immediately, customers located within the affected area need to boil their water before using it to drink, cook, make ice cubes, prepare food such as washing vegetables, or to brush teeth until further notice. This is required to ensure safety and public health. While most customers in the area are without water service, some at lower elevations may still have water service at a low pressure, "LADWP officials said.
This also includes turning off sprinklers and refraining from using tap water for activities such as watering lawns and gardens, doing laundry, washing dishes, or flushing toilets.
Homeowners are also asked to turn off smart irrigation controllers, water heaters, and pool autofill systems that automatically use water from the system serving the area.
Officials said the water outages could last through the weekend.
"The location of the valve is over 20 feet below ground where two oil pipelines, a critical five optic line, gas line and large boulders have complicated repair efforts. Excavation can only begin after the pipelines are cleared. Current estimate for repairs could take through this weekend to be completed," the LADWP website said.
Fire hydrants empty during heat wave
Why you should care:
Another top concern for officials: the fire hydrants in the area are empty.
The city is trying to avoid what happened during the Palisades Fire when hydrants ran dry by pre-positioning water tankers for any flames that could spark.
"We have water-dropping helicopters, heavy tanker trucks with 2,600 gallons of water, ready to relay-cycle from pools if needed," said LAFD Chief Ronnie Villanueva.
Weather Forecast for Friday, Aug. 8
The latest forecast and air quality conditions for the greater Los Angeles area, including beaches, valleys and desert regions.
By the numbers:
The heat wave has brought extreme temperatures across Southern California, with Palm Springs expected to reach 118 degrees, potentially breaking previous records. Other areas like Lancaster, Burbank, and San Bernardino are experiencing temperatures several degrees higher than the previous day, contributing to the fire danger and heat advisories in effect.
What's next:
Repair work on the valve may extend beyond the initially estimated completion date of Friday. Residents are urged to conserve water and adhere to the boil water notice. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with increased patrols and readiness to respond to any fire outbreaks.
What you can do:
LADWP has set up bottled water distribution sites while also providing non-drinking recycled water, mobile laundry units, and portable toilets.
Support is available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the following Granada Hills and Porter Ranch locations:
- Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park, 20500 Sesnon Blvd, Porter Ranch, CA 91326: Water bottle distribution, recycled water distribution, restrooms, showers, mobile laundry units
- O’Melveny Park, 17300 Sesnon Blvd., Granada Hills, CA 91344: Water bottle distribution, recycled water distribution, restrooms
- Intersection of Tampa Ave. And Sesnon Blvd. on the border of Northridge and Porter Ranch: Water bottle distribution and recycled water distribution
A new location is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the YMCA located at 11336 Corbin Street in Porter Ranch: Showers, mobile laundry units
LADWP customers including seniors and customers with disabilities and functional needs, as well as those unable to visit the bottled water distribution centers are encouraged to contact the LADWP's call center at 1-800-DIAL-DWP to "report an outage" and request to speak to a customer service representative.
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability can call 711 to connect with California Relay, or call 1-800-HEAR-DWP for TTY.
The Source: This story used information provided by LA City and County officials, as well as the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.