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Bass calls For faster LADWP safety repairs and other reforms
05/05/2023
[ Article originally appeared in https://mayor.lacity.gov ]
Mayor Karen Bass today sent the following letter regarding the dangerous condition of hundreds of LADWP utility poles. The letter calls on LADWP to act swiftly to ensure public awareness about remaining poles in need of repair and to urgently address necessary repairs. The Mayor also called for LADWP to ensure that the safety of the public and of LADWP workers is the Department’s highest priority. The letter reads as follows: April 27, 2023 Cynthia McClain-Hill, President Board of Water and Power Commissioners Martin L. Adams General Manager and Chief Engineer Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 111 N. Hope St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Dear President McClain-Hill and Mr. Adams: The January 2021 equipment failure was a tragedy for the Tejada family. This was not a mere failure of a power pole, but a failure of management and leadership. The report that the Board of Water and Power Commissioners received on Tuesday, April 25 revealed that a contractor identified more than 1600 poles as “priority one” poles requiring immediate repairs in 2021, but it was not until 2023 that work on them accelerated. To date, more than 700 utility poles are still in need of immediate repairs to mitigate the risk of other pole failures. The report also showed that many thousands more utility poles also require attention and non-emergency maintenance as “priority two” poles. Tuesday’s presentation highlighted a lack of attention to the state of potentially dangerous electrical equipment throughout the City of Los Angeles, putting the public and LADWP workers at risk. I am calling on the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and LADWP to act swiftly to ensure public awareness, to address necessary repairs and make changes to ensure this does not happen again. LADWP must create a strong safety culture to ensure that the safety of the public and of LADWP workers is the Department’s highest priority. Therefore I am urging the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and the Department to immediately:
In addition, LADWP must improve accountability, its safety culture and risk management practices and I expect the Department to make this a high priority. Therefore I am urging the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and LADWP to:
I expect the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and LADWP to fulfill these requests in the interests of all Angelenos. Please direct reports and any questions to Nancy Sutley, Deputy Mayor of Energy and Sustainability.
Sincerely, Back To News |
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