LADWP announces alternate plan for moving forward to safely reopen street while maintaining reliable water service
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 24, 2026) – Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) crews continue efforts to reopen Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood, with the street expected to reopen late tonight, returning the roadway to area residents, businesses, and travelers. While the emergency road repairs will allow us to reopen the street when complete, the street paving is temporary. LADWP crews will return in the coming weeks to complete any permanent street repaving and repairs. LADWP will coordinate with City of West Hollywood officials to inform the local community once work schedules are finalized and to reduce the impact of any lane closures required to complete the remaining work.
Current Status of Pipe Repairs
Following repairs to a pinhole-size leak last night, a new leak appeared during testing early this morning. This additional leak was found in an existing portion of the pipe. Crews immediately closed the valves and began draining this section of the pipe again.
From the start, LADWP has prioritized safety, recognizing that the reopening of the street depended on our ability to safely fill and repressure the pipe. Due to the additional leak, LADWP crews are implementing an alternate plan that will allow us to safely move forward with street restoration while maintaining reliable water service.
Under the plan, we will isolate this section of the trunk line and temporarily reroute water through an existing 8‑inch pipeline. This will necessitate the replacement of a 12-inch valve today. Approximately 25 LADWP water service connections may experience a loss of water service or low water pressure for 2-4 hours during the replacement work. We are making arrangements to provide water onsite to those affected customers.
Because the trunk line primarily transfers water between reservoirs and serves very few customers directly, this alternate plan ensures all LADWP customers along Sunset Boulevard – including those closest to the break – will continue to have water service, just as they have throughout this event.
LADWP is coordinating closely with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to ensure that measures needed to support emergency response capabilities are secured and available.
This alternate isolation plan allows us to begin backfilling and paving operations at the site and enables our expected reopening of Sunset Boulevard tonight.
Future Sunset Trunk Line Replacement
Looking ahead, LADWP will now accelerate the full replacement of this trunk line, a major infrastructure project that had previously been scheduled to begin in 2031. The replacement is currently 60% designed, and we will work to advance the timeline in partnership with the City of West Hollywood. Because this is a large, complex construction effort expected to span approximately four years, it will require detailed traffic management planning, close coordination with neighbors and businesses, and compliance with state regulatory processes and permitting. LADWP is committed to pursuing every opportunity to expedite legally required permitting and regulatory reviews, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Our crews have worked tirelessly – day and night – to make progress as quickly and safely as possible. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all residents, businesses, and visitors in the area. We know this has been a long and challenging week, and we deeply appreciate your patience.
To file a claim related to this incident, visit www.LADWP.com/Claims. For ongoing updates, please visit www.LADWPNews.com.
For an update from our Interim General Manager David W. Hanson, please watch video here.
