A water main that dates back to the presidency of Woodrow Wilson ruptured during the early hours in West Hollywood, causing significant flooding, as revealed in recent photos.
A picture shared by Mayor Karen Bass depicted a worker examining a rusted 36-inch metal pipe, which had developed a large hole with twisted sections hanging down.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that crews were on-site day and night, working on the 1916 pipeline. They managed to remove nearly 200,000 gallons of water to start the complicated process of replacing a 25-foot section of the damaged pipe.
Ultimately, the entire pipeline will be replaced, though work isn’t expected to start until 2031. The new installation will stretch for 16 miles, and the agency claims that its leak rate will be 36% lower than the national average.
Some residents of West Hollywood are currently receiving water through an 8-inch backup line, and they have been urged to conserve water until all repairs are finalized. There’s no clear timeline on when that will happen.
Meanwhile, parts of Sunset Boulevard were still closed on Friday due to the damage, with sidewalks rendered inaccessible. Metrobus routes had to be altered as a result of the water leak, prompting local residents to steer clear of the area.
The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Office reported that a “major water main break” took place near Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive early Thursday morning.
Authorities indicated they were unsure how the substantial break occurred and were primarily focused on traffic control. They received a flood of calls regarding the situation.
This incident resulted in property damage to local businesses, a vehicular accident, and even caused two men to fall into a sinkhole that formed from the floodwaters, though they appeared to be unharmed.
Video footage depicts floodwaters cascading over streets and vehicles, with local witnesses noting that the first floor of an apartment building and its underground parking were inundated. Many cars seemed to be trapped by the rising waters.
The popular Dialogue Cafe was also affected, with footage showing the moment the flooding struck.
Residents affected by the flooding commented that they felt helpless as water rushed into their apartments. One stated, “We couldn’t stop it. There was nothing we could do.”
“As far as we know, all of our residents are safe,” West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman noted during a news conference.
“Clearly, many people are still in disbelief,” he added. “There was extensive water damage to their sub-garages, and some cars suffered significant harm. We’re currently assessing the situation and arranging help for repairs.”
Many residents pointed to aging infrastructure as a contributing factor to the disaster.
