WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — A valve leak sent water and mud across part of Santa Monica Boulevard Thursday morning as crews continued working to reopen a separate stretch of the road damaged by last week's massive water main break.
The newer leak covered a section of sidewalk near Laurel Avenue and appeared to extend for about a block in front of several businesses, KTLA reported.
West Hollywood Vice Mayor Danny Hang told the station he received a report of the leak at about 6:30 a.m. City workers contained it within roughly an hour, he said.
Affected businesses were being notified, but officials did not expect the leak to affect residents.
Initial assessments indicated the flooding was caused by a valve leak on a separate line from the 36-inch trunk line that ruptured beneath Sunset Boulevard at Holloway Drive a week ago, Hang told KTLA.
Eastbound lanes of Santa Monica Boulevard were closed near Crescent Heights Boulevard Thursday morning, while westbound traffic remained open.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said it remained on track to reopen Sunset Boulevard by Friday despite discovering yet another leak — described as a "pinhole" — Wednesday night at the east end of the repair site.
Crews noticed water bubbling up around 8:30 p.m. in an area that had been backfilled and prepared for paving, according to the utility.
Workers excavated a roughly 3-by-4-foot area, located the leak and prepared to weld a patch over it. Repaving and striping continued Thursday morning.
The new leak was not expected to delay the reopening of Sunset Boulevard, though it could delay the return of the repaired trunk line to service.
The roadway has been closed between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard since about 3 a.m. the previous Thursday, when the century-old pipeline ruptured beneath Sunset Boulevard.
About 17 million gallons of water poured into surrounding streets, moving vehicles, flooding garages and breaking apart sections of pavement.
More than 250 LADWP workers have participated in the round-the-clock repair effort. A new 25-foot section of pipe was welded into place Sunday night.
Before the line can be returned to service, crews must complete disinfection and water-quality testing. LADWP said tap water remains safe to drink and no service interruptions are expected, though customers were urged to conserve water to help prevent low pressure during periods of high demand.
Some nearby businesses remained closed Thursday, and residents continued assessing property damage.
The cause of the original rupture remained under investigation. The Sunset Trunk Line, which dates to 1916, had already been identified for replacement as part of a larger pipeline project expected to begin construction in 2031.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Hollywood Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.