Full Notification

Good afternoon, my name is Jose Reynoso, I am the City Manager for the City of Sierra Madre. Today is Friday, January 17^th at approximately 4:15pm.  I would like to provide some key updates and respond to community questions and concerns:

Our current situation remains fluid and often changes are occurring quickly.  We appreciate your patience and understanding as we address the challenges posed by recent events.  According to CalFire, there has been additional progress in the Eaton Fire fight.  We currently stand at 65 percent containment with over 14,000 acres burned. I am relieved to report that Sierra Madre has no reported fatalities.

The Public Works Department is working on our Mudflow and debris flow mitigation plan.  Please keep wind-driven debris off the parkway as Public Works crews will begin deploying K-rails in strategic locations.  We want to ask that you keep the streets clear of debris so that we can place protective K-rails without any obstructions.

We’ve received a number of questions regarding the State’s recent Do-Not-Drink-Do-Not-Cook Order.

First I’d like to give a brief overview of our water system. Our water system is broken up into three zones. Zone One is generally the lower part of town, Zone Two serves the middle belt of town and Zone 3 serves the upper part of the water system. 

Zone 3 is the portion of Sierra Madre’s water system that fire fighters drew water from during the Eaton firefight. As a result, Zone 3 is the primary zone impacted by the State’s order Do-Not-Drink-Do-Not-Cook Order.  Due to the complexity of  zone borders, the Do-Not-Drink-Do-Not-Cook Order is extended to Grandview and residents north of Grandview.

I am pleased to report that our Water Department took several steps in advance of the windstorm.  First and foremost, we ensured  all our reservoirs were full before the wind event. We maintained water at all hydrants and reported no loss of pressure anywhere in our distribution system.  Water Superintendent Steven Mc Gee was personally in contact with our local State Health Department officials regarding the status of our water system, and the State Health Department fully supported the status of our water system and the City's decision to keep our water system online. We have conducted two rounds of routine bacteriological samples that were analyzed by a third-party lab.  The results from the lab were clear and the chlorine residual was found well-within our normal range.  

This week, the State contacted the City to inform to advise us that, as a precaution, they are requiring agencies that had homes or structures that burned to conduct additional testing for Benzene, a known Volatile Organic Compound or VOC in the affected water zones.  For Sierra Madre that was Water Zone 3. 

The main concern is VOCs from Plastic or PVC house lines that could potentially enter the water service line or distribution system due to burning in the fire.  It’s important to reiterate that we never lost water pressure in our system, and we had no loss of any water infrastructure   

The community has asked questions regarding the status of the water testing?

• The City is working closely with our third-party water quality consultant to develop a comprehensive water testing plan.
• This plan must be approved by the State Health Department. We are submitting it to the State this week, and we anticipate receiving approval as early as next week.
• Once approved, we will begin testing. Collected samples will be analyzed by a third-party lab, and results should be available approximately 5 to 7 days after collection.
• Safety Reminder: It is recommended that residents avoid filtering their own water, as we cannot guarantee the effectiveness of third-party filters. Safety remains our top priority.

I would like to respond to frequent questions from our community:

Why is the order in place only north of Grandview?

• The order is specific to the water zone impacted by the wildfire and targets areas where homes were destroyed.

 What is the water being tested for?

• The testing is focused on detecting Benzene, as required by the Health Department.

 Are the spreading grounds off Grandview affected?

• No, the spreading grounds were not impacted by the Eaton Fire.

Is the testing required because of outsourced water from Metropolitan Water District (MWD)?

• No. The City relies 100% on our groundwater source for drinking water. Water from the MWD interconnection is only used to replenish our aquifer and is not directly connected to the distribution system.

Are parking restrictions still in place?

• We ask residents to avoid parking in areas that may obstruct access for utility crews, including Southern California Edison, as they continue working to restore power.
• We encourage residents to park in their driveways, garages, and if possible, in the City’s public parking lots.
• That said, parking restrictions have been lifted except during red flag warnings.

 Is parking enforcement active?

• Parking enforcement is in effect only in areas where utility access is critical.

What do we do with spoiled food?

• We ask that you maintain the practice of disposing of spoiled food like you would in your bear-resistant trash can.  We ask that you place the spoiled food in a trash bag and not include food containers.
• Athens has provided the City with additional bins for spoiled food disposal.  The bins are located at Sierra Vista Park.  We are asking that residents only place spoiled food in these bins – please do not add your regular waste or trash to the bins located at Sierra Vista Park.

When can residents begin using leaf blowers again?

• LA County has issued a temporary ban on the use of ALL leaf blowers to mitigate health risks associated with fire ash, smoke, and particulate matter. 
• The Leaf Blower Ban will remain in effect until the County Health Officer determines that recovery conditions no longer pose a health risk.

What about clean up of debris from structure loss?

• The LA County Office of Emergency Management has advised residents not to clean burned structures due to potential exposure to hazardous materials.
• LA County OES has informed the City that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will coordinate the cleanup of hazardous materials on burned properties.
• Phase 2 of the cleanup, which involves removing all remaining fire debris, will be conducted by the State or Army Corps of Engineers.
• More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Thank you for your continued resilience and cooperation during this challenging time. The City is here to support you, and we will keep you informed as new information becomes available. Please check the City’s website and official communication channels for updates.
Stay safe, and let’s continue working together as a community.
 

Instructions:

Do-Not-Drink Water Order remains in Place for areas north of Grandview Avenue