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LADWP on track to reopen Sunset Blvd. tonight
The DWP announced it will continue performing water quality testing to ensure all standards are met before returning the repaired pipe to service. The next steps are to complete temporary repaving and lining the closed stretch of Sunset Boulevard.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Crews with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) are working to reopen a heavily traveled section of Sunset Boulevard by late Friday evening following a massive water main rupture that flooded West Hollywood streets last week.
Repairs were briefly extended after workers discovered a secondary leak, but the pipe has since been welded, repressurized, and prepared for temporary repaving, officials said.
What we know:
On Thursday afternoon, LADWP welders fixed a small pinhole leak found on the newly repaired 36-inch riveted steel pipe.
Crews then began slowly refilling and repressurizing the line, monitoring for stability while conducting water quality testing, backfilling, and preparing the roadway for temporary repaving and striping.
The rupture occurred around 3 a.m. on July 16 at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive, releasing approximately 17 million gallons of water.
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The torrent shifted large asphalt slabs, flooded garages, and damaged surrounding property, forcing the closure of Sunset Boulevard between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard.
Since the initial break, LADWP crews "have performed complex work including pumping, repairing the 36-inch riveted steel pipe, welding the pipe, repressurizing and ensuring there are no leaks, flushing, disinfecting and water quality testing."
The utility noted its leak rate sits at 16.1 leaks per 100 miles of pipe—36% below the national average of 25—and that it replaced over 246,000 feet of pipe annually across 2024 and 2025.
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Water valve leak floods Santa Monica Blvd. in WeHo
The leak occurred just a mile from last week's massive 36-inch water main break on Sunset Boulevard, where a secondary leak detected overnight threatens to delay street reopening plans.
What we don't know:
The exact cause of the initial rupture remains under investigation.
While a root cause has not been finalized, Anselmo Collins, LADWP’s chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager of the water system, noted that water pressure in delivery lines typically peaks overnight when overall demand drops.
Timeline:
- July 16: The 36-inch Sunset Trunk Line ruptures at Holloway Drive, dumping 17 million gallons of water onto West Hollywood streets.
- Wednesday: Crews spot water seeping through the backfill area during prep work for paving.
- Overnight Wednesday–Thursday: Workers excavate a 3x4 foot area to locate and isolate a pinhole-sized leak on the east end of the site.
- Thursday afternoon: Welders complete repairs on the pinhole leak; repressurization and water testing begin.
- Late Friday evening: Estimated target window for completing temporary repaving and reopening Sunset Boulevard to traffic.
- Coming weeks: Final permanent repaving, along with repairs to a nearby bus pad and sidewalk, will take place.
- 2031: Expected construction start date for an already-planned project to replace 6.4 miles of large-diameter pipeline and 3.5 miles of distribution line along the corridor.
What you can do:
Customers with questions about the break or water service can contact LADWP at 1-800-DIAL-DWP.
Property owners and residents who experienced damage can find claims information at LADWP.com/Claims.
West Hollywood has set up a dedicated portal at weho.org/watermainbreak featuring real-time updates on street closures, traffic detours, Metro bus changes, parking enforcement adjustments, and local hotel discounts for affected residents.
The Source: This report is based directly on official statements, repair updates, and system data released by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), as well as statements from Anselmo Collins, LADWP's chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager of the water system. Emergency response details, road closure boundaries, and local assistance resources were confirmed through official community advisories published by the City of West Hollywood.