West Hollywood water main break floods streets and homes

A major water main break in West Hollywood early Thursday morning, July 16, 2026, sent torrents of water rushing through streets, flooding apartments, damaging vehicles, and forcing the closure of multiple major roadways. The rupture occurred around 3 a.m. at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive, according to officials.

The break involved a 36-inch steel pipe, with water finally shut off in the area by approximately 7:30 a.m. after crews from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power worked to carefully close large underground valves. Officials explained the process had to be conducted slowly due to the highly pressurized system to prevent further damage. The flooding caused significant disruption, with water flowing several blocks down Palm Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard, inundating a Metro bus yard and rushing into first-floor apartments and underground parking garages. Parked cars were seen with water flowing over their hoods.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman visited the scene to assess the damage. At a morning press conference, Mayor Bass urged the public to avoid the area and highlighted the age of the city's...