Studio City water main break damages cars, floods buildings, closes roads

Coldwater Canyon Avenue could be closed for three days after a 62-inch water main broke in Studio City, damaging nearby homes and businesses.  Update: The pipe was originally reported to be 64 inches.

Ventura Boulevard is expected to be closed until at least noon today, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department The break occurred at 10:40 p.m. Saturday at the corner of Coldwater Canyon and Dickens Street, causing widespread damage to cars, flooding buildings and weakening retaining walls.

Some residents were evacuated and 120 firefighter responded to the scene.

According to the fire department, the water was 3-4 feet deep and at least one person was rescued from a car.

No one was hurt. 

Officials are investigating the cause of the water main break.

[Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated how deep the water rose near the main break.]

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: City crews size up a sinkhole caused by a water main break at Coldwater Canyon Avenue and Dickens Street in Studio City. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Tony]

Just what we needed, more water loss during this drought. Wasn't bad enough having an arsonist start the biggest fire in LA history, now this.

[george laurence]

Was it really necessary for 120 firefighters to respond to this? Seems very excessive.

[Kenneth]

They're telling us to take only five minute showers and sweep the driveway instead of hosing it down, but they can't keep large amounts of water in the pipes??

Unless this was caused by a non-governmental mistake or a fluke of nature, it makes the water utility look incompetent.

[somethings fishy]

Great a new pool, Is it going to be the new sportsmans lodge annex? can we bring lawn chairs cold beer and fishing poles for the labor day party?

[Tom]

Ha!
Coldwater Canyon Ave is now a canyon filled with cold water.

[Mark Clowdus]

I admire the people in the California area for their ability to bounce back after so many recent disasters. Another thing especially living in the New Orleans Metro area sure don't see anyone from out there hollering FEMA, FEMA they are taking care of their own.

All of you Californians God be with you.

[M.]

If your boyfriend can't get rescue himself from 4-foot deep water: That's a DealBreaker, ladies!

[waterloggd]

There went all the water my lawn should have gotten this summer. GREAT.

[stephen]

Are they planing on evaporating the water with their eyes? Public workers take laziness to amaxing levels.

[Jack]

Was the water main protected against corrosion with cathodic protection? How old is it? How big was the pipe? What was the pipe made out of? Was the pipe's corrosion test stations surveyed every year to see if it was experiencing accelerated corrosion?

[AntiScreed]

ONE person was rescued from 3-4 feet of water?????????????? GOOD GRIEF THAT IS HORRIFYING!@

[Lisa]

Why are there so many water main breaks in Los Angeles, west LA area? Are the mains getting old? Is there tectonic activity - creep?

[Thite D. Starr]

Didn't any one realize it was a no watering day? I'll bet we lost as much water as was saved from the ridicious watering rules. Don't expect anyone from DWP to quantify how much was lost. They don't care as we will pay for it.

[Stacie in northwest Colorado]

California is going to hell in a hand basket...! Many, w/ the means to leave have moved here to Colorado AND brought their Progresssssive politics w/ them.
We now have a state full of Fruits, Nuts and Flakes - I'd like to move to Wyoming at this point......!

[PeteR]

I was just driving through Studio City yesterday and noticed how bad the streets were. Many blocks in need of repairs or entire replacement. Are they not getting their fair share of city dollars?

[Olden Atwoody]

Y-e-e-e-e-s... Very important to correct the reported size from 64 to 62 inches.

Not too important to talk about what's going on with the underground infrastructure in Los Angeles and why the Water Dept. can't inspect a pipe that is FIVE FEET TALL, either with humans or robots.

Nice reporting.

[Ken Haumschilt]

At least the water looks clean!!

[Violet]

Gee, how is this going to effect the rate hike DWP just put on our water? Why is it that we have been taxed to death in this city and all we get for our money is paying for more lawsuits. Where is the money going to come from?

There have been so many increases under this mayor it is an outrage, now this? Insurance companies are going to have a field day with this case. If they pay they will go after the city for reimbursement due to the cities negligence of properly failing to maintain the pipes. Come on it has been in place since the EARLY 1900's with NO updating over all these years of having taxes placed on us for the infrastructure. FOR SHAME!!!
Before we build a Red line to the ocean how about fixing the infrastructure that is already in place.

NO MORE TAXES UNTIL YOU FIX OUR INFRASTRUCTURE! Our mayor and the city politicians are the real ones to blame? How much is all their salaries? Oh and what is the salaries of some of the big shots in DWP?

Corruption can only fix so much before the public throws you all to the curb. I for one would like to see government back where it use to be instead of a bunch of rich idiots (yes you are greedy corrupt idiots in my humble opinion).

None of you do anything for the people unless they are wealthy and you can get more bucks to line your pockets. What gives the politicians the right to get rich off the poor? Who works for who in this country?

PEOPLE GET OFF YOUR DEAD BUTTS AND VOTE THESE CROOKS OUT NEXT ELECTION, OR CONTINUE GETTING SHOVED INTO THE STREETS!
Ask yourself one question of politicians what have you done for me during your fossilization in government besides agree to more pay increases for themselves and taxes for us? Where does the word democracy come into play?

[mort prankman]

about a year ago i was back in the valley visiting the folks/family. my brother offered me the use of his car...what was it..an Audi 6 with miserably thin rubber on the wheels...just before we got to the 'sportsman's lodge' on coldwater...bam i ran through a pothole and blasted his tire. had to replace the tire...where i come from...i could get 4 tires for what he paid for his one tire. so just to let you know...i am not even thinking of coming back on a visit in the distant future.
here's wishing us all a wet winter..

[Charlie Benton]

Hmmm....The infrastructure may be getting a bit aged in spots. Too bad all the taxes we pay don't seem to help prevent these problems. What I would like to know is how old the section on pipe that broke was. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the original water main that was put in that neighborhood thus making it over 70 years old...

[ragu4u]

Robert Blake better have his scuba gear ready.

[Sara]

California is obviously blessed from above.

[Andy B]

This happened before in the very same place, back in 93-94.

[insider]

to answer some of the questions brought up..

the 62inch line is probably about 90-100 years old,

don't blame the actual city employees for the failing infrastructure in the city..talk to your city council and mayor, they are the ones taking funding away from public works to pay for their pet projects!

Be informed! the City Council and Mayor hope that citizens will be too apathetic to care about what they are doing with your money!

The Los Angeles City Council members salary is 400% of the median income of LA citizens! The people that actually do all the work in the city get paid about 80% of median income

[melissa puch de fripp]

I think it's due to seismic activity...but this is La-La Land, and no one is paying attention or will investigate THAT, lest folks worry. It's been non-stop, these water main breaks! Was there a pattern of this happening before the Northridge quake? Has anyone checked the seismic activity over the past few days? The news glosses over it in 2 seconds flat. It's almost impossible to find any real information. I hope the LA Times follows through!

[wowlfie]

The breaks are due to increasing creep along San Andreas as a precursor to a big one. The recent quakes in the Gulf of California have dramatically increased the pressure on the San Andreas in the Salton Sea area and THIS is the reason for the water main breaks. The city of LA, in order to avoid a panic, is not revealing the true cause of the breaks and is trying to blame them on age. In truth, the quakes just south of San Diego is reflective of what is about to occur on the Salton Seat to Tejon section of the San Andreas fault (about 300 to 400 miles). The last time Tejon moved was 1858 and Wrightwood not since 1812. It's about to become a disaster of unfold terror as the big one hits and almost all water mains are broken and there is NO water at all to fight the massives fires that erupt and the entire city of LA burns to the ground just like what happened in the San Francisco fire in 1908. It's sad but true that LA is trying to push this under the rug to avoid mass migrations when they are so hurting financially. What a crock is our government. By the people, for the people, of the people is a crock. IF this were true our government workers would not allow this to happen.