Los Angeles County officials failed to implement numerous critical water infrastructure improvements, which experts argue could have aided firefighters during the disastrous Palisades fire that claimed at least 11 lives. Public records reveal years of missed opportunities due to bureaucracy and budget constraints, leaving essential projects unfinished. Notably, a significant reservoir was empty due to maintenance, exacerbating the crisis. Proposed upgrades to the water system aimed to enhance firefighting capabilities, yet projects outlined in a 2013 plan remain unaddressed, denying communities vital resilience against wildfires.
Many projects on a list of about three dozen 'highest priority' upgrades compiled by county officials in 2013 have yet to break ground in communities devastated by the fires.
The estimated cost was less than $57 million and construction would have taken about seven years, yet plans remain unexecuted.
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