Overview
- A 36-inch steel transmission main installed about 1916 ruptured early Thursday, sending a fast-moving torrent down Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards and carving a sinkhole near Palm/Harratt/Holloway.
- LADWP crews and emergency responders methodically closed high-pressure underground valves and stopped surface flow by mid-morning, then pumped out pooled water and cut a damaged 25-foot section of pipe.
- Crews have isolated roughly a 0.7-mile section of the trunk line and reported about 195,000 gallons still to remove before safe excavation and full repair can proceed.
- The flood inundated underground garages, trapped and damaged vehicles, flooded businesses and a Metro bus yard, and left major road and transit closures in place with cleanup and damage assessments ongoing.
- Drinking water service is being maintained through smaller bypass lines though some customers report low pressure, LADWP has set up on-site claims assistance, and the failure has renewed debate over accelerated pipeline replacement plans originally scheduled for 2031–2035.