Los Angeles, Ca
LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture
Crews worked overnight on what is expected to be a long-term effort to clean up and repair a broken water main that caused extensive damage in West Hollywood on Thursday.
Yellow tape remained in place Friday morning, blocking streets around Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive as crews continued pumping water out of the century-old trunk line.
Asphalt and soil were also being removed so crews could get a better look at the damaged 36-inch trunk line, a major feeder pipe serving the area.
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Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood following a water main break on July 16, 2026. -
Two men fell into a sinkhole that opened on a sidewalk after a massive water main break in West Hollywood on July 16, 2026. (KTLA) -
Aerial view of flooded Metro buses in West Hollywood following a water main break on July 16, 2026. -
Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood following a water main break on July 16, 2026. -
Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood following a water main break on July 16, 2026. -
A broken water main sent water gushing out of an apartment building and turned streets into rivers in West Hollywood on July 16, 2026. (KTLA) -
A broken water main sent water gushing into a parking garage in West Hollywood on July 16, 2026. (KTLA) -
Floodwaters from a water main break push parked cars into one another in West Hollywood. July 2026. (KTLA) -
Floodwaters from a water main break push parked cars into one another in West Hollywood. July 2026. (KTLA) -
Residents stand at the entrance to an apartment parking garage as floodwaters from a water main break rush past in West Hollywood. July 2026. (KTLA) -
A parking garage is seen flooding following a water main break in West Hollywood on Thursday, July 16, 2026. (KTLA) -
Floodwaters from a water main break push parked cars into one another in West Hollywood. July 2026. (KTLA) -
Floodwaters from a water main break push parked cars into one another in West Hollywood. July 2026. (KTLA) -
Floodwaters from a water main break push parked cars into one another in West Hollywood. July 2026. (KTLA) -
A broken water main sent water gushing into the streets of West Hollywood on July 16, 2026. (KTLA)
“First and foremost is our crews’ safety,” a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokesperson said Thursday. “When we excavate, we are going to have to make sure the area is safe before we send crews in to proceed and start the actual repairs on the pipe.”
The water main ruptured around 3 a.m. Thursday, sending thousands of gallons of water rushing through West Hollywood streets, flooding dozens of garages and pushing parked cars into one another.
A Metro bus yard was also flooded, leaving several buses partially submerged.
The force of the water washed away dirt and gravel supporting the roadway, creating a massive sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard and a smaller one near Palm Avenue, where two people fell in.
“I’m astounded by the massive sinkhole that has just opened up before our eyes,” KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos reported Thursday from Palm Avenue.
The two men appeared to be uninjured.
As for the larger trunk line that burst beneath Sunset Boulevard, KTLA’s Carlos Herrera reported it was scheduled for replacement in 2031.
LADWP officials now hope to establish a repair timeline after getting a closer look at the damage Friday. For now, the intersection is expected to remain closed for anywhere from several days to several weeks.
The cause of the rupture remains under investigation.