5 water main breaks in a week raising questions about Los Angeles' aging infrastructure
5 water main breaks in a week raising questions
A series of water main breaks across Los Angeles has raised concerns about the city’s aging underground infrastructure.
LOS ANGELES - A string of water main breaks across Los Angeles is raising new concerns about the condition of the city’s aging underground infrastructure.
At least five water main breaks have been reported across the region in the past week, including the most destructive rupture in West Hollywood, where a century-old pipe unleashed millions of gallons of water onto the Sunset Strip.
The 36-inch water transmission line that failed Thursday was installed more than 100 years ago. The rupture sent an estimated 17 million gallons of water rushing through streets, flooding businesses, apartment buildings and underground parking garages.
"It looked like a tsunami," said Mohua Roy, a West Hollywood resident affected by the flooding. "My daughter’s friend thought it was water from the ocean."
Three days after the break, more than 200 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power workers remained on-site, restoring the damaged line and completeing testing before service can fully return.
"It’s impacted us mentally too," Roy said. "It’s been rough the past few days."
Inside one underground parking garage, the damage remains visible. A water line marks where floodwaters rose, while at least 40 vehicles remain covered in mud and debris. Some residents are still dealing with power outages as cleanup continues.
The West Hollywood rupture was not the only water main failure reported in recent days.
A water main broke in Boyle Heights last Sunday, followed by three additional breaks over the weekend — one in Hollywood and two in Venice.
"It’s so crazy. Oh my God," one resident said. "It’s like we’re living in Revelation."
Residents say the recent failures highlight concerns about aging pipes throughout the city.
"I think there are probably a lot of 110-year-old pipes across L.A. that need to be looked at right now," said Ted Gagliano, a concerned resident.
LADWP says it replaces about 240,000 feet of pipe each year, or roughly 45 miles annually. That represents less than 1% of the utility’s water system, which stretches nearly 7,000 miles.
"We need to be fixing some pipes," said resident Yoonj Kim.
For some residents, the focus is now shifting from the damage above ground to the infrastructure buried below.
"The city needs to do so much more for the infrastructure here," Gagliano said. "It’s our city. They’ve got to take care of it."
LADWP crews continue pressure testing the repaired West Hollywood pipeline, checking for leaks and ensuring water quality standards are met before the line returns to full operation.
Officials originally hoped to reopen the intersection near Sunset Boulevard by Monday, but that timeline has been pushed back. No updated reopening date has been announced.