Water Main Break Disrupts Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood

A water main break on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood has led to significant street closures. The incident occurred early Thursday, causing thousands of gallons of water to flood the roads, including the iconic Sunset Strip. As a result, authorities have closed sections of Sunset Boulevard from Horn Avenue to San Vincente Boulevard/N. Clark Street, following the rupture of a 110-year-old pipe that created a large sinkhole.

The City of West Hollywood has also closed Larrabee Street at Santa Monica Boulevard and Palm Avenue at Santa Monica Boulevard. Limited access is given to residents at Shoreham Drive at Sunset Boulevard, Holloway Drive between Palm and Hancock avenues, and San Vicente Boulevard at Cynthia Street.

The closures affect local businesses and residents, prompting city officials to advise motorists to avoid the area over the next few days to allow repair work by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) crews.

The break occurred in a riveted steel pipe installed in 1916, used for major water distribution from reservoirs to mainlines throughout Los Angeles. Scheduled for replacement in 2031, the pipe is part of the 547 miles of trunk lines in the city. In 2019, it was reported that about 29% of the city’s water pipes were over 80 years old, nearing their typical lifespan of 100 years. Limited funding hinders major upgrades to the aging system.

The DWP has not provided a timeline for repairs. Anselmo Collins, DWP’s chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager, noted, “Once everything is shut down, we’ll pump the water out of the hole that we have. We’ll make an assessment. That will determine then how long it will take us to make the repairs.”