Repairs to a major water main break on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood have encountered a new complication after crews discovered a secondary leak while preparing the area for reopening. The incident, which occurred Wednesday evening, has delayed the anticipated restoration of traffic flow on the iconic thoroughfare.
Workers were in the process of backfilling the site of the original 3-foot-wide trunk line rupture, which had released an estimated 17 million gallons of water, when a small leak was detected. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) described the new issue as a "pinhole sized leak" that emerged toward the eastern edge of the excavation area as workers compacted aggregate base material.
Crews have since excavated a small section, approximately 3 by 4 feet, to access the source of the new leak. They are scheduled to begin welding a patch to the pipe on Thursday. The cause of this secondary rupture remains undetermined at this time.
Despite this setback, the LADWP stated it is still aiming to reopen Sunset Boulevard on Friday. A significant portion of the street has been closed for the past week. Currently, Sunset Boulevard is impassable between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard, with restricted local access permitted on adjacent streets.
The initial trunk line failure, which occurred last week, involved a riveted steel pipe dating back to 1916. This aging infrastructure is part of a vast network of major water arteries across Los Angeles, many of which are approaching the end of their operational lifespan and require ongoing replacement. Approximately 547 miles of such trunk lines are situated beneath the city.
