The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is under fire—both literally and figuratively—as its CEO, Janisse Quiñones, faces mounting criticism for infrastructure failures during recent wildfires. Reports suggest that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, a crucial water source for firefighting, was offline, and several key fire hydrants were out of service when the flames erupted. Quiñones, who was hired just months ago with a hefty $750,000 salary, is now being accused of gross mismanagement by insiders at the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). For an organization responsible for safeguarding a city as vulnerable to wildfires as Los Angeles, the alleged oversight is nothing short of alarming.
LAFD sources claim that Quiñones made the call to disconnect the Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Pacific Palisades for maintenance—right in the middle of wildfire season. This decision, coupled with hydrants reportedly left broken for months, has sparked outrage among firefighters and residents alike. In a region where wildfire preparedness can mean the difference between containment and catastrophe, LADWP’s apparent failure to ensure operational infrastructure has left many wondering about the agency’s priorities. The timing couldn’t have been worse, and critics are demanding answers.
Quiñones’ professional history isn’t doing her any favors. Prior to taking the reins at LADWP, she held a senior position at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), a company infamous for its role in some of California’s most devastating wildfires. PG&E’s record includes the 2021 Dixie Fire and the 2018 Camp Fire—tragedies linked to the utility’s negligence. That legacy is now casting a long shadow over Quiñones, with many questioning whether her hiring was a misstep in the first place. Bringing someone with such a controversial resume into one of California’s largest public utility roles seems, in hindsight, like a gamble that didn’t pay off.
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched an investigation into the unavailability of the Santa Ynez Reservoir and the loss of water pressure in critical fire hydrants. While such investigations are often slow and bureaucratic, they highlight the systemic failures that appear to plague California’s approach to wildfire management. For many residents, Newsom’s response feels like too little, too late—a reactionary measure to a crisis that could have been avoided with better planning and leadership.
The fiasco has left Angelenos shaking their heads in frustration. With a well-compensated CEO at the helm, LADWP was expected to deliver on its core mission of providing reliable water services, especially during emergencies. Instead, the agency’s apparent neglect has left first responders scrambling and residents in danger. This debacle is yet another reminder of how California’s leadership often seems more focused on optics and bureaucratic wrangling than on addressing the practical needs of its citizens. For many, it’s a sobering confirmation of their worst fears about the state’s ability to manage its increasingly frequent crises.
