Rebuilding Altadena: A Call for Unity, Innovation and Stewardship 

Just four months ago our communities were tested by devastating fires and we saw firsthand the power of unity, resilience and mutual aid. First responders risked their lives to protect our homes. The Metropolitan Water District stepped up in remarkable ways – providing equipment, fuel, valves, technical expertise and services when needed most. Their support, and the unwavering dedication of our local fire departments, saved lives and preserved critical infrastructure. We owe them not just our thanks but our resolve to meet the future as one. 

As we turn toward rebuilding Altadena, we face a generational challenge. The capital costs are staggering – hundreds of millions of dollars to restore, modernize and strengthen our water systems. But beyond the dollars and cents, we face a moment of profound reckoning about the future of water management in the foothills and across California. 

I want to thank Supervisor Kathryn Barger for her leadership and support in her efforts to consolidate water systems – this generational investment is far beyond what any single utility can do alone and it is important that we all work together for the public we serve. Yet too often local water figures fall back into the same old battles – fights that have defined our industry for far too long. I was disappointed to see this dynamic on display in a recently published article in the Pasadena Star-News where defensive posturing and finger-pointing resurfaced just months after the fires reminding us of our shared purpose. Now is not the time to bury ourselves in the past. Now is the time to rise to the future. 

It was asserted in the Star-News article that Foothill Municipal Water District had only hours worth of water stored locally before the fire, when in fact they had multiple days of storage in their Altadena reservoirs. Foothill actually has too much storage capacity in the area and most of the time has one reservoir out of service to ensure water quality is preserved. However, both tanks in Altadena were filled just before the Eaton Fire started because of the weather and a fear that a fire could occur. 

It was also asserted that Foothill Municipal proposed a consolidation with Las Flores Water Company when in reality Las Flores approached Foothill asking it to consider a short-term agreement to assist Las Flores in the operation and restoration of its system while it rebuilt a customer base. The Foothill board of directors is currently considering such an agreement. In addition, the Foothill board has taken no position on agency consolidation but has agreed to organize a discussion on the topic with the boards of the eight water agencies supplying water across their service area in Altadena, La Cañada and La Crescenta. 

I am proud, too, of the work my fellow board members have led in La Crescenta, partnering with the Arroyo and Foothills Conservancy to build the first stormwater recharge project in the community. This nature-based innovation allows water to percolate into the ground, saving water and energy while supporting native plants adapted to Southern California’s fire ecology. 

Above all, I am deeply encouraged by the incredible spirit of this community. People like Edgar McGregor, whose local climate monitoring earned him a congressional medal of commendation, remind us how individual action and grassroots leadership can ripple outward and save lives. I was personally inspired to hear how Metropolitan Water District staff members showed up far beyond their formal duties ready to help in any way they could. That spirit of service is the example we must follow. 

We honor that legacy not by clinging to narrow interests but by coming together in service of the community we all share. Rebuilding Altadena is about more than pipes and pumps – it’s about building trust, resilience and a future worthy of the next generation. 

Now is the time to put aside the divisions of the past and embrace a shared mission: to protect, sustain and renew the foothills we call home. 

Richard Atwater President 
Foothill Municipal Water District Board