Overview
- A more than 100-year-old, 36-inch trunk line ruptured on Thursday under Sunset Boulevard, releasing an estimated 17 million gallons, creating a large sinkhole and flooding streets and underground garages.
- LADWP crews cut out a 25-foot damaged segment and welded in a new pipe section, and workers have begun slow repressurization, disinfection with chlorine and regulatory testing of the repair.
- Sunset Boulevard remains closed between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard while the line is tested, the trench is backfilled and permanent repaving is delayed with no firm reopening date.
- Separate, smaller breaks over the weekend in Venice, Hollywood and Studio City affected dozens of customers and damaged underground parking, adding to local disruption and concerns about system-wide fragility.
- LADWP says about 30% of mains are over 80 years old and has an $8 billion five-year capital plan to modernize pipes, but officials and experts warn inspections and large-scale replacements will take years and leave short-term vulnerability.