A massive water main rupture in **West Hollywood** early Thursday morning turned streets into rivers, submerged vehicles, and created a giant sinkhole, prompting urgent repairs and raising alarms about the city’s aging infrastructure. The break occurred around **3 a.m.** near **Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive**, where a **36-inch riveted steel pipe** installed in **1916**—now **110 years old**—suddenly burst, sending floodwaters through the neighborhood [1][3].
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (**LADWP**) confirmed the ruptured pipe was a major transmission line and said crews cut out and removed a **25-foot damaged segment** by Friday evening, installing a new pipe section overnight [1][8]. While officials expect a **temporary repair** to be completed by the end of the weekend, allowing **Sunset Boulevard** to reopen, the full pipe replacement is scheduled to begin in **2031** [9]. As of Saturday morning, **Sunset Boulevard remains closed** between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard, with additional nearby road closures in effect [5][7].
The flooding caused extensive damage, with approximately **200 cars** reported damaged and underground parking garages inundated, including at **1010 Palm Avenue** [8][9]. One local coffee shop, **Dialog Coffee**, saw floodwaters rush inside, leaving owners facing costly cleanup [1][12]. Despite the disruption, LADWP officials stated that **drinking water remains safe**, though some residents experienced **low water pressure** [1][7]. Residents and business owners expressed frustration, calling the incident **preventable** and criticizing the city’s slow response [3].
West Hollywood Mayor **John Heilman** confirmed all residents are safe and that no evacuations were necessary, though an evacuation zone was prepared if conditions worsened [7]. The **cause of the rupture remains under investigation**, with city and utility leaders acknowledging the infrastructure is “extremely old” but unable to pinpoint why it failed [3][
