CITY OF LOS ANGELES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2014
UPDATE #5 – STATEMENT FROM MAYOR ERIC GARCETTI
“With the water off, our focus is now on making sure we can get our infrastructure repaired and traffic moving as soon as possible. My office is working to ensure there is careful coordination among the various city agencies that will be required to recover from this major event. They include DWP, Transportation, Sanitation, Street Services, Fire, and Police, as well as UCLA. Sunset Boulevard near UCLA will remain closed tomorrow, so commuters should plan ahead and people should avoid the area unless absolutely necessary. Commuters should check online and consider Santa Monica and Olympic as alternates. I want to thank our first responders and those who will be working around the clock to get us back to normal.”
See below for earlier updates, and original statement from Mayor Garcetti at bottom.
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Update #4 – From the DWP
Westwood Water Main Break Shutoff Complete
LADWP crews have completed shutting off water to the 30-inch trunkline that ruptured earlier this afternoon on Sunset Boulevard, near UCLA.
Preliminary information indicates that no customers are without water and water quality was not adversely impacted. Crews will begin work immediately to repair the 30-inch ruptured steel-riveted pipe that delivers water to the area at a high velocity from Upper Stone Canyon Reservoir.
Crews shut off three large diameter valves as quickly and safely as they could, taking care to avoid further damage due to pressure in adjacent pipes that could have lead to further ruptures if care was not taken.
Water flow through the pipe was estimated at 75,000 gallons per minute at the peak. LADWP serves approximately 500 million gallons of water to customers each day.
Members of the public are advised to avoid the area.
Recommended traffic detours are as follows: Westbound on Sunset should go south on Beverly Glen then west on Wilshire Boulevard then back north on Veteran/Sepulveda to get around the closure. Eastbound traffic should head south on Veteran/Sepulveda then east on Wilshire Boulevard, then head north on Beverly Glen. For access into UCLA Campus please use Westwood Boulevard.
For the latest information, follow @LADWP on Twitter.
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Update #3 – From the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department
The City of Los Angeles has activated its Emergency Operations Center to a level 1 to monitor the water line break at U.C.L.A. The Emergency Management Department is coordinating with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, L.A.F.D., L.A.P.D., Department of Transportation and U.C.L.A. Emergency Management.
The U.C.L.A. Medical Center is open and receiving patients. Two parking structures at U.C.L.A. have been flooded and L.A.F.D. is conducting a sweep of the area looking for stranded individuals. L.A.F.D. has established a Command Post at Sunset and Westwood Plaza. The E.O.C will continue to monitor the situation and will issue updates as necessary.
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Update #2 – Traffic and Transit Info – Sunset Blvd. Water Main Break
For drivers: Los Angeles Department of Transportation has closed Sunset Blvd at Veteran/Hilgard/Bellagio/Stone Canyon intersections
Recommended detour routes from the LA Dept of Transportation:
Westbound on Sunset should go south on Beverly Glen then west on Wilshire Boulevard then back north on Veteran/Sepulveda to get around the closure.
Eastbound on Sunset should head south on Veteran/Sepulveda then east on Wilshire Boulevard, then head north on Beverly Glen.
For access into UCLA Campus please use Westwood Boulevard.
For Metro bus riders: Temporary detour of bus lines 233 & 761.
More info at twitter.com/metrolosangeles
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LADWP Crews Responding to Water Main Break in Westwood
LADWP crews are currently responding to a water main break reported this afternoon at 10643 West Sunset Boulevard in Westwood. The water main is a 30-inch, 90-year-old riveted steel pipe that delivers water to the area at a high velocity from Upper Stone Canyon Reservoir.
Crews are shutting off three large diameter valves as quickly and safely as they can, taking care to avoid further damage due to pressure in adjacent pipes that could lead to further ruptures if care is not taken.
We will follow up with more information as it becomes available. Water flow through the pipe when operational is estimated at 75,000 gallons per minute. LADWP serves approximately 500 million gallons of water to customers each day.
Members of the public are advised to avoid the area.
Recommended traffic detours are as follows: Westbound on Sunset should go south on Beverly Glen then west on Wilshire Boulevard then back north on Veteran/Sepulveda to get around the closure. Eastbound traffic should head south on Veteran/Sepulveda then east on Wilshire Boulevard, then head north on Beverly Glen. For access into UCLA Campus please use Westwood Boulevard.
For the latest information, follow @LADWP on Twitter. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.
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Mayor Garcetti’s Statement on Sunset Blvd. Water Main Break – #1
“I am closely monitoring the situation and remain in constant contact with key city departments including the LADWP, LAFD and LAPD, along with UCLA to make sure we are leading a closely coordinated response.
The Mayor’s Office and our City departments will continue to provide further updates.”
