After placing a new floating cover designed to protect drinking water, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power began refilling the Santa Ynez reservoir in Pacific Palisades, it was announced Friday.
DWP began refilling the reservoir Thursday at rate of approximately 1.5 feet to 2 feet per day, with the aim of having it back in service by the end of the year, officials said.
In December 2025, DWP announced it would conduct a replacement cover project for the reservoir, which had sparked concerns from residents who were impacted by the Palisades fire in January, when it was also out of service.
At the start of 2025, the reservoir was offline — a key water resource that was unavailable during the Palisades Fire that destroyed more than 6,800 structures and killed 12 people. Emergency repairs were completed to the reservoir’s floating cover in June, allowing it to be filled to its normal operating level and go back in service.
DWP officials said a replacement cover will provide “stronger resilience, protect water quality and ensure continued compliance with drinking water standards and regulations.”
State laws mandate the protection of open reservoirs. According to city officials, the cover previously had tears, prompting the Santa Ynez Reservoir to be offline. Once the emergency repairs were complete, it was restored, but there was recognition of the need for a permanent fix with a hard structure, such as concrete.
The design and installation of the new reinforced liner and floating cover system each required safeguard potable storage under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. Department officials said the new cover was fully installed in September.
Amid the cover replacement project and the refilling process, DWP was expected to continue to provide uninterrupted drinking water service to Pacific Palisades customers through the Upper Stone Canyon Reservoir and the Westgate Trunk Line.
In an event of emergency, DWP has prepared plans to maintain a level of water service through added contingencies such as the following:
— Having hoses and connections readily available to be installed on Sunset Boulevard in the event of a service disruption to Westgate Truck Line;
— Deploying six miles of hose with booster pumps to move water from Corbin Tank to Temescal Tank, if there is a service disruption;
— Positioning emergency generators in Pacific Palisades;
— Increasing brush clearance around DWP facilities;
— Stationing water tankers in the community and at Stone Canyon Reservoir for additional water supplies; and
— Ensuring aerial firefighting water sources remain available via Santa Ynez hydrants, Palisades Reservoir cistern and additional supplies at the Encino and Stone Canyon open-air reservoirs.
While the Santa Ynez Reservoir has a total capacity of 117 million gallons, the fill-level of the reservoir varies, and the reservoir operates within a limited range — there’s a maximum level it should not exceed and a minimum level it should stay above to remain functional.
According to the DWP, this range, known as the operational band, will ensure the reservoir maintains water quality and system pressure. As a result, the capacity of 117 million gallons does not reflect how much water is actually in the reservoir nor actually available for use.