Water main breaks in Miracle Mile area

A water main ruptured at San Vicente Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue this morning, interrupting service to dozens of customers in what is the latest in a series of breaks in Los Angeles’ water system.

The water main break was reported about 6 a.m., flooding the streets, said Maychelle Yee of the Department of Water and Power. Service was cut off to 40 to 50 DWP customers, mainly commercial businesses, while repairs are under way, Yee said.
 
The rupture comes on the heels of other water main breaks reported over the weekend in Encino and the Hollywood Hills.

The department averages about four leaks a day in the city’s 7,200 miles of aging pipes, and smaller leaks should not be confused with “major blowouts” causing street damage, Yee said. More than 30 blowouts have been reported so far in September.

Some experts have speculated that the city's recent decision to allow sprinklers to be used only on Mondays and Thursdays may be increasing stress on aging pipes because of sudden changes in pressure.

“We do realize this is a little bit higher than normal,” Yee said of the breaks. “We have several outside experts looking into it. We’re just looking at everything to see how that might be affecting it.”

-- Victoria Kim

Photo: Repairs have begun on southbound Fairfax Avenue at San Vicente Boulevard. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Interactive map: Los Angeles water main breaks

Comments

[ben rubin]

Typical Los Angeles, terrible.....

[Joe Cole]

It would be nice to have an updated grand total of LA water main breaks.

[Ruth I.]

Some of us understood, even before the water rationing began, that the system would be under stress due to the rapid fluctuations in water pressure caused by everybody turning their sprinklers on and off at the same time. Common sense is something that the leaders at DWP and City Hall clearly lack. I suppose that now we the customers will all have to pay for their stupidity.

[baronpilot]

Good idea, Joe Cole. Time for a google maps breakdown of all the water main breaks. Got that, LA Times?

[Dale Melton]

I wonder how much water is being lost in this system.

[Mishee]

If the water pressure goes below a certain point, water main breaks can cause contamination of the water, yet I have not seen any boil water advisories. If the cause truly is a lowering of water pressure, then it follows the DWP should be offering these safety advisories. Also contamination could cause the breaks. There have been so many in such a short period of time, has anyone tested for contaminants or thought this could be a terrorist attack of some kind? After all, attacking the water supply of a major metropolitan is a major target of terrorists. What is the city or the DWP doing to protect us? I say we get together for a protest in front of DWP to demand answers. They could at least rule out contaminants by testing that takes five minutes but they offer no answers.

[Farbie]

Why do these happen on the Weekends only? DWP is blaming rationing if that is the case then should the pipes break on Tuesday or Friday? Or even on those rationing days that there are rapid pressures and non-pressures on the lines.
The pipes are old and DWP has never had funds put aside to replace the system. DWP has been saying for years that the systems need to be updated but never one thing has been done. A band-aid on these aging pipes just give way for another weak spot to bust furthur down the line. As far I am concerned yes the end user the Customer will pay for this and future breaks that DWP cannot control.

[Louie]

"I suppose that now we the customers will all have to pay for their stupidity."

Of course we will, unfortunately that's the California way. Those who put in the work and pay their taxes take care of those who don't.

[Karen]

What I don't understand is why don't they at least halt the Monday/Thursday watering schedule immediately, announce it openly to the public that people should be watering twice a week, at their own discretion. If they need to run tests to see what the problem is, what better test than to stop the Monday/Thursday schedule and see if that fixes the problem?