Pacific Palisades homeowners question surging LADWP utility bills on fire-damaged and vacant homes

PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- More than a year and a half after the Palisades Fire, homeowner Roxana and her family have returned to their rebuilt home after it was gutted and reconstructed because of toxic smoke damage. But while the house sat vacant awaiting construction, she said she received several unusually high water bills from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

"It was, you know, four or five times as high as it typically is when we were occupying the home before the fire. So I was comparing and was like this is a mistake," Roxana said.

Roxana said all water sprinklers had been shut off and that no one was living or working at the property during that period. She said LADWP told her its meter readings showed water usage and suggested a possible leak.

"Oh, we read the meters and it showed that there was usage. You must have a leak. Well this you must have a leak is what every other Palisades home is telling us that are with the home standing that have seen this happen," she said.

Other Pacific Palisades homeowners report similar concerns.

Mary-Katherine Haar and Scot Norred said they also were told they likely had a leak after contacting LADWP about their utility bills. The couple's fire-damaged home has not yet undergone remediation, and they say it remains unsafe to occupy.

"We had a plumber, contractor, both come, and they were not able to see any leaks, they checked for running toilets, they checked the meter, we weren't able to uncover anything," Haar said.

Norred questioned why utility costs remained significant while the family has been displaced from the home.

"Anyone would think that when you evacuate and you don't live in a home for, you know, going on two years the bill would naturally go down as soon as you've moved out, especially if you have a family of six," Norred said.

According to LADWP, the couple's utility usage and bills have declined since the fire compared with 2024. The department said the home's pool, irrigation system, standby generator and security cameras continue to consume water and electricity despite the property being unoccupied.

For Roxana, the increase in water bills dropped significantly after repair and remodeling work began at her home.

Both families said they struggled to understand their bills and LADWP's pricing tiers while dealing with the challenges of rebuilding after the fire.

Former LADWP General Manager Marty Adams said the utility's recent commitment to make bills more understandable is a positive step.

"I think it makes sense to always, you know, look at what's going on to make sure that people understand," Adams said.

Adams also said growing calls for an audit of LADWP warrant further examination.

"I think it's a chance to go back and see what are those decisions driving in terms of costs and are they what we expected? There's always a separation between decision-making and people looking at what the price tag is gonna be. And I think, it's kind of coming home to roost and we need to have a real honest look at that," Adams said.

The calls for greater scrutiny come as Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia has directed his team to examine ways to begin an audit of LADWP despite cuts to the controller's Audit Services Division. Mejia is also hoping Mayor-elect Nithya Raman will help fund a comprehensive review of the department.

As questions about utility charges continue, some homeowners say they want greater transparency and accountability.

"What is going on? Who's pulling the strings? Who's in control? Who's monitoring this? Who's auditing this?" Haar said.