Sunset Boulevard water main repair nearly complete, LADWP says

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews were nearly done Tuesday backfilling a massive excavation hole on Sunset Boulevard following the rupture last week of a 36-inch water main that unleashed a deluge in West Hollywood.

Barring any unexpected issues or delays, the LADWP expects to reopen Sunset Boulevard and return the trunk line to service later this week, the utility said.

The slurry will be filled to roughly 2 feet below the surface and will cure for 12 hours. After required work in the shallow portion of the trench is finished, the slurry will cure for an additional 24 hours to ensure full stabilization before the street can be repaved and reopened.

“Crews have placed 300 cubic yards or 30 truckloads of concrete slurry into the trench following thorough pressure testing and verification that all identified leaks were fully resolved,” the LADWP announced Tuesday afternoon. “Water quality tests will also be required to put the pipe back into service.

Work on repairing the broken main, which dates to 1916, involved more than 250 LADWP workers toiling around the clock after the rupture was reported about 3 a.m. Thursday on Sunset Boulevard at Holloway Drive, pushing around cars and flooding garages while shifting massive chunks of asphalt and concrete slabs.

A number of vehicles were visibly damaged, and others were flooded nearly to their roofs in subterranean parking.

By 7 a.m. Thursday, the rushing water, which sent debris downhill to Santa Monica Boulevard, had been stopped.

A stretch of Sunset Boulevard remains closed until the sinkhole created by the leak can be filled in. Sunset Boulevard remains closed between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard, with limited local access on nearby streets including Cynthia and San Vicente, as repairs continue.

“No water service interruptions are expected while LADWP finishes the repair work,” the department reported. “The water supply to the affected neighborhood continues through an 8-inch distribution pipeline and drinking water remains safe. Until the repaired 36-inch pipe is returned to service, customers are still urged to conserve water to avoid residents and businesses on upper floors from experiencing lower pressure during periods of high demand.”

Repairs of the broken main were completed Sunday night as a new 25-foot section was welded into place.

The LADWP was working with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Los Angeles County Public Works and other utilities to protect underground infrastructure during the repairs.

Some businesses in the area remain closed, including Book Soup, and many residents suffered property damage in the disaster.

Customers with questions regarding the pipe rupture may call 1-800-DIAL-DWP. Claims information is available at LADWP.com/Claims.

The city of West Hollywood also launched a website with regularly updated information about the response and recovery effort. The site, weho.org/watermainbreak, includes repair updates, street closures, traffic information, Metro detours, parking enforcement changes, claims information, hotel discounts for affected residents and other resources.

Officials said the 10-mile Sunset Trunk Line that ruptured had already been designated for replacement. The department said design work is underway on a project to replace nearly 6.4 miles of large-diameter pipeline and 3.5 miles of distribution pipe, with construction expected to begin in 2031.

The utility said it replaced more than 246,000 feet of water pipeline during 2024 and 2025 and is on track to replace another 246,000 feet this year. The department also said its leak rate is 36% below the national average, averaging 16.1 leaks per 100 miles of pipe compared with 25 leaks per 100 miles nationwide.

The specific cause of Thursday’s break was under investigation, but Anselmo Collins, the LADWP’s chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager of the water system, said pressure in water delivery lines is highest at night when demand drops.