Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16
LADWP Halts 32-Inch Sunset Strip Water Main Leak, Restoring Service to Most Properties
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16

LADWP Halts 32-Inch Sunset Strip Water Main Leak, Restoring Service to Most Properties

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16

Summary

  • By about 9 a.m., water had stopped flowing from the ruptured 32-inch LADWP main, and service was restored to nearly every affected West Hollywood property.
  • The break began around 3 a.m. near Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive, sending fast-moving water through streets, into underground garages and into at least one major sinkhole.
  • Fire officials said the pipe dates to 1916; crews shut valves slowly because the system is highly pressurized and could suffer further damage.
  • No injuries were reported, though officials were still assessing damage to cars and other infrastructure after road closures snarled traffic on the Sunset Strip.

Insights

With a $20 billion infrastructure plan, why are LA's aging water mains still causing catastrophic floods?
Can advanced tech predict and prevent these pipe bursts, or is LA stuck in a cycle of costly repairs?