LA Water And Power Officials Rake In Fat Salaries As Fire Hydrants Run Dry
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) officials raked in enormous taxpayer-funded paychecks before its fire hydrants ran dry in the fight against massive fires in the area, according to analysis by…
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) officials raked in enormous taxpayer-funded paychecks before its fire hydrants ran dry in the fight against massive fires in the area, according to analysis by OpenTheBooks, a government transparency organization.
Eight of the top ten highest-paid city officials in Los Angeles work for the LADWP, according to OpenTheBooks’ analysis. The department saw “scores” of the fire hydrants in its purview run dry overnight as firefighters tried to contain raging fires that have destroyed hundreds of buildings and continue to be out of control, according to The Los Angeles Times.
“We had a tremendous demand on our system in the Palisades. We pushed the system to the extreme,” LADWP CEO Janisse Quiñones said Wednesday. “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.”
Quiñones took the top job at LADWP in May 2024, landing a salary of $750,000, according to local outlet ABC7. Her compensation package marks a major step up from her predecessor, and Los Angeles City Council officials stated at the time that the higher salary was necessary to attract high-quality talent from the private sector, particularly because of the challenge of meeting green energy targets.
Quiñones is far from the only LADWP employee making big money.