A stretch of Sunset Boulevard in Holmby Hills remained closed today after a 12-inch cast-iron water main ruptured, causing flooding and cutting service to about 12 residents, a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokeswoman said.
Crews have repaired and re-pressurized the 12-inch main and restored service to the 12 affected customers, said Kim Hughes. In West Hollywood, where there was a water main break Friday, one westbound and two eastbound lanes of Sunset Boulevard now are open to traffic.
Another water main break was reported today at 3:30 a.m. at Eighth and Flower streets in downtown Los Angeles, Huges said. Water was shut off at 4:15 a.m. to the 4-inch main. How many customers are affected and when repairs might be complete was not immediately clear.
The Holmby Hills break was reported some time after noon Sunday in the 10200 block of West Sunset Boulevard, near Charing Cross Road, Hughes said. The water was shut off and crews began excavating the street to expose the broken pipe, which was installed in 1969, according to the DWP.
Sunset will reopen in both directions between Charing Cross Road and Mapleton Drive after Department of Public Works crews finish street repairs, Hughes said. Reports from the scene suggested the operation could take another couple of days or so.
The break happened less than a day after a stretch of Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood following a water main break on the busy thoroughfare near Olive Drive on Friday. The break was on a different line than the 36-inch steel riveted trunk line that ruptured Friday, Hughes said. There were no reported major damages from the West Hollywood main break.
However, a water main break on July 29 on Sunset Boulevard near UCLA caused significant damage to hundreds of cars trapped in an underground parking garage. KPCC reported that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has paid $9.4 million in water main-related claims over the past five years, not including those related to the UCLA incident.
Given that *California is in a Drought Unprecedented in it’s history* water main breaks anywhere take on a whole new and very serious meaning. The L.A. Times recently reported, “Drought has 14 communities on the brink of waterlessness.” *The Problem is ONLY going to get far worse in the near future!* A Stanford University study sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) confirms a growing body of research that finds “The atmospheric conditions associated with the *unprecedented drought in California are very likely linked to Human-Caused Climate Change*.” The NSF news release, headlined, “Cause of California drought linked to climate… Read more »
Without infrastructure in optimum condition every potential “award winning” project be it hotel of major mixed use is dead in the water.
Know your street, know your home. I know two people that have these major lines running through their backyards. Check for easements, look to mwd or dwp to ask what are the size of lines in your area so you can be prepared with sandbags,extra insurance , and suplemental water storage for the multi day shut downs. Should weho be spending our park bond money for emergency repairs to infrastructure ? What amount is added to new projects? Will we have to wait till all the projects are done to fight for money? Should we as citizens here take a… Read more »