Story perspectives

Aging LA Pipes Trigger 110-Year-Old Main Burst, Flooding Buses

7/18/2026

Left

LA Water Burst

A 110-year-old steel water main on Sunset Boulevard burst, underscoring Los Angeles’ decades-long pipe deterioration infrastructure problem today.
The rupture flooded Sunset Boulevard, submerging several Metro buses, which Los Angeles Metro inspected and cleared for service.
City officials reported half of Los Angeles’ water pipes rate C or lower, many over 80 years.
Mayor Karen Bass urged a plan while Dialog Café owner Tadeh Ghazalian reports uncertain reopening.

Right

Water Pipe Burst

A West Hollywood resident was jolted awake by a rushing river flooding his ground-floor apartment early Thursday.
A 36-inch water trunk line installed in 1916 ruptured on Palm Avenue, creating a sinkhole and flooding underground garages.
Mayor John Heilman said all residents were safe and an evacuation plan was ready.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power closed valves, shut main, and Metro inspected buses.

History

Historical Context

The Los Angeles Aqueduct, opened in 1913 under chief engineer William Mulholland, supplied the water that fueled the city’s boom from 1909-1928 and spurred massive pipe networks later plagued by failures. After the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse prompted regional water-management reforms, today Mayor Karen Bass and LADWP are allocating $1.5 billion to replace aging mains.

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LA Water Burst

A 110-year-old steel water main on Sunset Boulevard burst, underscoring Los Angeles’ decades-long pipe deterioration infrastructure problem today.
The rupture flooded Sunset Boulevard, submerging several Metro buses, which Los Angeles Metro inspected and cleared for service.
City officials reported half of Los Angeles’ water pipes rate C or lower, many over 80 years.
Mayor Karen Bass urged a plan while Dialog Café owner Tadeh Ghazalian reports uncertain reopening.

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