Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 17
LADWP 36-Inch Water Main Break Swallows Sunset Boulevard, Flooding West Hollywood Streets
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 17

LADWP 36-Inch Water Main Break Swallows Sunset Boulevard, Flooding West Hollywood Streets

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 17

Summary

  • A massive sinkhole opened on Sunset Boulevard after an LADWP 36-inch trunk line ruptured, sending thousands of gallons of water through West Hollywood streets.
  • The break on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power main triggered early-morning flooding that spread beyond the sinkhole and swamped surrounding roadways.
  • Repair crews gathered at the site on July 16 as the rupture added to traffic disruption and cleanup already reported near the Sunset Strip.
  • The latest details build on earlier reports that the damaged pipe was about 100 years old and had also flooded garages, damaged vehicles and disrupted Metro bus service.

Insights

As LA plans a massive infrastructure overhaul, are residents facing unavoidable rate hikes to pay for decades of neglect?
Amidst pipe failures and rising theft, is an armed police force the right answer for securing LA's vital water supply?
With aging pipes causing urban floods, can 'green infrastructure' offer a more resilient and cost-effective solution than traditional repairs?