Although there is no evidence of water contamination, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to inspect nearly 100 drinking water reservoirs and storage tanks.
Millions of people rely on these systems, and the EPA wants to ensure LADWP is meeting federal and state drinking water standards.
Gregory Pierce, director of the UCLA Water Resources Group, stated in an interview on L.A. Times that while such actions are not common, there are instances in which federal agencies issue consent orders with local agencies over violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
“I do not see many [consent orders] for drinking water systems, and I do not see many announced in this way for issues that, yes, should be addressed, but are not of severe concern, especially since there is no evidence of contamination,” Pierce said.
Pierce added that he believes politics played a role in the decision. “I have no reason to think that this consent order would have happened if not for the politics between the federal government, the administration and the city of Los Angeles,” he said.
