The effort targets Altadena, where fire-ravaged water cooperatives face new legislation on transparency and notice requirements
Published on Thursday, May 7, 2026
Sixteen months after the Eaton Fire destroyed more than 9,400 structures and gutted the customer base of Altadena’s three mutual water companies, a statewide trade group has launched a website it says will help shareholders understand their rights amid new state legislation targeting the small, community-owned utilities.
The California Association of Mutual Water Companies’ Disaster Information Task Force launched SmallWaterSystemWarriors.com with resources on ownership rights, state consolidation proceedings, pending legislation, and rate and service protections, according to a press release from the organization. The effort is aimed at shareholders in disaster zones statewide but focuses on Altadena, where most residents receive their water from Las Flores Water Company, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, or Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association — all three still recovering from the January 2025 fire.
The website launch comes as SB 1417, authored by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents Senate District 25, advances through the Legislature. The bill, which was amended from its original form and now concerns mutual water company assessments, water charges, and notice requirements, passed a Senate committee on April 13, 2026, on a 13-2 vote. One day later, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to support SB 1417 and a companion bill, SB 1291 by state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, according to a press release from Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office.
“Eaton Fire survivors deserve a meaningful seat at the table as critical decisions are made about their water systems because these decisions directly impact their recovery and future,” Barger said in the April 14 press release…