Two Altadena Water Districts Lift “Do Not Drink” Orders, But One Remains Off Limits

Two major water providers in Altadena have lifted their “Do Not Drink” orders, allowing thousands of local residents to safely use their tap water again following the Eaton Fire that devastated most of the town earlier this year.

During the March 17 Altadena Community Meeting, officials from several local water districts shared updates on the status of drinking water safety throughout the area.

Jennifer Betancourt Torres, General Manager of Lincoln Avenue Water Company, announced that as of last Thursday, March 13th, the “Do Not Drink” order has been lifted for their entire service area.

“Residents within the Lincoln Service area may now safely resume use of their tap water for drinking and all of the purposes,” Betancourt Torres said during the meeting.

Armando De La Paz, Assistant General Manager of Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association, delivered similar good news, stating their system is now entirely potable after receiving clearance from authorities on Monday.

“We are also happy to report we received our lift for our Marine Corps on Monday month, so that also includes our whole system is now potable,” De La Paz told community members. He emphasized the importance of flushing systems for returning residents: “You want to make sure that you flush your taps for anything that has stagnant water. You want to get some fresh water into your residence to allow that clean water to be entered into your home.”

Both water providers emphasized the importance of flushing home plumbing systems, especially for residents returning to properties that have been vacant since the fire.

Lincoln Avenue Water Company recommends:

• Running cold water from all taps for at least five minutes
• Sanitizing dishwashers by running an empty cycle with hot water and detergent
• Flushing water filters and ice makers
• Discarding at least two batches of ice before resuming normal use

However, not all Altadena residents have received the all-clear. William Kimberling, General Manager of Las Flores Water Company, reported that a “do not drink, do not boil” order remains in effect for two of their zones.

“We probably won’t get that lifted until about the end of April. That’s what we’re hoping,” Kimberling explained. The company is awaiting approval from the Division of Drinking Water (DDW) for a sample station between Lost Flores and Lincoln Avenue. Once that is approved, Lincoln Avenue will start to deliver water into their Cobb Estate service area, ^[a]and once that is completed with sampling and flushing, they will start with their Lake Avenue zone.

Residents with water quality concerns are encouraged to contact their respective water companies directly. Betancourt Torres indicated that Lincoln Avenue Water Company’s contact information would be shared in the meeting chat.

The water updates came amid broader discussions of Eaton Fire recovery efforts. Colonel Sonny B. Avichal from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that 80 crews are now working on debris removal in the Eaton footprint, with 212 properties already cleared. Chris Sheppard from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works reminded residents that Right of Entry (ROE) forms for free debris removal are due by March 31st, with 5,087 ROEs received from Altadena and 3,080 already sent to the Army Corps for processing.

Additionally, Elizabeth Buenrostro Ginsburg, the Treasurer Tax Collector, shared that fire-impacted property owners whose property was damaged or destroyed can delay paying their second installment property taxes until they receive an adjusted tax bill, without incurring penalties.

Residents seeking more information about recovery efforts can visit recovery.lacounty.gov/altadena, which now includes a frequently asked questions section updated after each weekly community meeting.