Overview
- A 36-inch riveted steel trunk line that ruptured released about 17 million gallons of water and carved a large sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard on Thursday, flooding streets, garages and businesses.
- LADWP crews cut out a roughly 25-foot damaged section, welded in a replacement pipe, completed pressure testing, flushed and disinfected the line, and poured about 300 cubic yards of concrete slurry to backfill the trench.
- Late Wednesday night crews saw water pooling on the eastern edge of the backfill, re‑excavated to locate a pinhole leak and began welding a patch while a separate service‑line/valve leak on Santa Monica Boulevard required additional repairs.
- Neighborhoods have continued to receive water through an auxiliary 8‑inch feed and officials say drinking water remains safe, but customers are asked to conserve to avoid low pressure while the system is isolated and tested.
- The new leaks mean final curing, further welding, dechlorination and regulatory water‑quality tests must finish before the trunk line returns to service and Sunset Boulevard is repaved and reopened, and no firm reopening date has been set.