Residents in West Hollywood are dealing with another water main break that sent a surge of water onto city streets Thursday morning.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Laurel Avenue around 6 a.m., just one week after a massive pipe burst nearby.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials identified the source as a 6-inch cast iron pipe installed in 1921.
Because the infrastructure is 105 years old, the failure left significant amounts of water bubbling from the ground and onto sidewalks.
LADWP spokesperson Ellen Cheng confirmed that the break resulted in temporary service losses for between 10 and 20 customers.
Providing a status update on the repairs, Cheng noted that utility crews were working to restore water service to the affected area by 4 p.m., according to ABC7.
A local contractor who arrived to work in the area captured footage of what he described as a rushing river flowing down the street.
Expressing his concern about the frequency of infrastructure failures, Jose Miramontes asked, “I was like man is it going to keep happening all over West Hollywood or what? But hopefully not,” per the outlet.
The latest burst happened within two miles of a major repair site at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive.
At that location, a 110-year-old trunk line previously failed, causing a massive sinkhole and the loss of millions of gallons of water.
Crews at the Sunset Boulevard site recently encountered a new “pinhole leak” shortly after backfilling the original hole and repaving the roadway.
While discussing the challenges of such large-scale repairs, Cheng explained, “When we’re doing work like this, other leaks can happen in the course of doing the work,” reported ABC7.
Despite the proximity of the two incidents, utility officials stated that the water main breaks are not related.
Defending the city’s infrastructure record, Cheng pointed out that Los Angeles averages two to four breaks daily, which is 36% lower than the national average.
Repairs at the Sunset Boulevard site have entered their second week, causing frustration for local businesses and residents.
Reflecting on the ongoing construction, one resident remarked, “I was expecting it to be done by this weekend, but I think it looks like they got a lot of work to do still I don’t know what’s going on, but yeah, hopefully they can finish it up,” reported the outlet.
The LADWP reported on Wednesday that slurry was curing and pipe disinfection was underway at the Sunset Boulevard location.
Utility crews expected to pour asphalt as they moved closer to reopening the major thoroughfare later this week.
The 36-inch riveted steel pipe required complex work including pumping, welding, repressurizing, and ensuring there are no further leaks.
Officials continue to assure the public that the water remains safe to drink and there are no service interruptions expected as work nears completion.
Utility staff have also been responding to claims and community concerns while coordinating with the City of West Hollywood.
Drivers are advised that multiple road closures remain in effect, including hard closures at Sunset Boulevard and Horn Avenue, according to the LADWP.