LOS ANGELES, CA (July 20, 2026) – LADWP crews completed a critical leak repair late last night on the 36-inch Sunset transmission trunk line, marking another significant step toward safely restoring water and reopening the streets in West Hollywood. The pipeline is currently being repressurized as crews continue detailed inspections to verify integrity and ensure zero leaks remain before moving forward.
LADWP emphasizes that thoroughness, not short-cuts, is the priority. Each phase of this multi-day restoration effort involves precise technical procedures designed to protect water quality, structural safety, and reliability for the community.
Repairs are anticipated to continue into this week, and we understand the ongoing difficulties and disruptions this has caused for residents and businesses across West Hollywood. LADWP is fully committed to advancing pipe repairs and restoring affected streets as quickly and safely as possible.
Sunset Blvd Trunkline Repair Timeline
LADWP will not return the pipe to service until every regulatory and internal safety benchmark is met.
Late yesterday, crews successfully sealed any leaks discovered during pressure testing. With that repair complete, the pipeline is being carefully repressurized. As pressure builds, crews will again perform targeted leak checks to confirm every section of pipe, both new and existing, is stable and performing as expected.
Even when there is no visible heavy equipment or trenching activity at the surface, specialized work continues behind the scenes, including technical monitoring, disinfection preparation, valve adjustments, and confirmation of pressure behavior throughout the system.
Once leak checks are complete, water quality crews will disinfect the repaired section of pipe with chlorine, followed by comprehensive water quality testing to ensure full compliance with all drinking water standards. Afterward, the water will be safely dechlorinated and discharged to the storm drain system.
Only then can crews begin the final steps: backfilling the excavated trench and restoring the street using City of West Hollywood approved materials and paving methods.
LADWP Water Service
We assure LADWP customers in the area that their drinking water remains safe and reliable throughout this repair. During the outage, water to the neighborhood is being supplied through an 8-inch distribution pipeline. Because this pipeline moves smaller volumes of water, customers, especially those in upper floor units, may experience lower water pressure during peak demand.
Street Closures & Public Safety
Sunset Boulevard remains closed between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard, with limited local access on nearby residential streets. As the backfill begins and large work equipment fills the area, the public is urged to avoid the area for everyone’s safety, follow instructions from local officials, and allow crews the space needed to complete restoration work safely and efficiently. Updates can also be found at www.WeHo.org/WaterMainBreak.
Infrastructure Reliability & Long-Term Investments
The affected pipeline, originally installed in 1916, is part of LADWP’s network of high-capacity transmission trunk lines engineered to move large volumes of water across Los Angeles. LADWP
continues to prioritize system resiliency through proactive inspections, replacements, and upgrades. This includes:
- Replacing 240,000 feet of distribution mainline per year, meeting the department’s targeted 150-year replacement cycle.
- Maintaining a leak rate 36% lower than the national average.
- Accelerating trunk line replacement goals to 3.5 miles per year by FY 2029-2030, focusing on the highest risk segments.
These investments reflect LADWP’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality and reliable water service citywide.
LADWP Customer Support and Updates
During the ongoing repair operations customers are encouraged to use water efficiently to support the stabilization of water pressure throughout the area. If you experience water supply concerns, please call 1-800-DIAL-DWP for immediate assistance.
Claims support remains available online at LADWP.com/Claims.
For ongoing updates, please visit www.LADWPnews.com or call 1-800-DIAL-DWP.
