SHERMAN OAKS—On April 30, at around 12:45 p.m., an 8-inch water main at the intersection of Ventura Boulevard and Vesper Avenue ruptured, creating a 25-30 foot crack in the asphalt where water gushed out. The streets and sidewalks were flooded, and at least four businesses, including a salon and a dog bakery, suffered minor water damage.
An 8-inch water pipe ruptured at 14545 Ventura Blvd, flooding several blocks.
An 8-inch water pipe ruptured at 14545 Ventura Blvd, flooding several blocks.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power responded quickly, shutting down traffic for four blocks on Ventura Boulevard in both directions. It took about half an hour to turn off the water, interrupting service for 50 commercial customers.
Six firefighters were called to the scene, and they slowed the flow of water into businesses with sandbags and sawdust. By mid-afternoon, the eastbound lanes of Ventura Boulevard were reopened, and cleanup was finished at around 10 p.m. Service was restored the following morning just before 8:00 a.m. to customers.
The pipe was installed in 1977, which is considered fairly new compared to other water mains that have ruptured in Los Angeles recently, such as the 100-year-old pipe that burst near the UCLA campus in July 2014. On the possible cause of the break, a LADWP spokeswoman said that it may have been the result of soil conditions rather than age.
