Residents who evacuated their homes due to wildfires are facing outrageously high utility bills, with some reporting that their LADWP water bill surged up to five times higher despite the properties being completely vacant.
According to reports, Pacific Palisades residents who suffered property damage from the January wildfires are voicing strong frustrations over abnormal water and electricity charges. One resident, Roxana, had to leave her home with her family due to toxic smoke contamination. After extensive repairs, she recently returned only to find that the water bill during the period the house was empty was four to five times higher than before the fire.
Even though all sprinklers were turned off, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) claimed that water usage was recorded on the meter and suggested a possible leak. Roxana noted that other residents whose homes remained standing are experiencing the exact same issue.
Another couple, Mary Catherine Harr and Scott Nored, faced a similar ordeal. Their home remains uninhabitable as repair work has not yet begun, yet utility bills continue to pile up. Although LADWP suggested leaks, plumbing inspections revealed no issues. Nored questioned how a home left empty for nearly two years could incur such charges, while LADWP explained that water and power continue to be consumed by pools, garden irrigation systems, emergency generators, and security cameras even when unoccupied.
This latest controversy adds to a growing list of complaints regarding LADWP billing errors and exorbitant fees. Previous incidents included a $3,322 bill for a San Fernando Valley resident, a $35,700 charge for the famous Fairfax eatery Canter’s Deli, and an 80-year-old couple being hit with over $9,200 in accumulated water bills due to a broken meter.
Amid mounting public pressure, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass requested an independent external audit of LADWP’s billing and rate-calculation systems. City Controller Kenneth Mejia is also reviewing options to initiate a comprehensive audit with support from local officials.
