A blown gasket was blamed for a residential water main that burst on Alcima Avenue near El Medio on Tuesday, Oct. 14, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Witnesses said the leak lasted about six hours before workers arrived on the scene.
Photo: Gregory Lewis
Citizen reporter Gregory Lewis said he called LADWP to report the burst at 7:30 a.m. while other neighbors said they had placed calls as early as 5:30 a.m.
“This is as a slap in the face to any resident who is taking seriously the need to conserve water,” Lewis said, adding that he wished workers had arrived earlier. “We are all asked to conserve, which is something I have taken seriously.”
An estimated 500 gallons of water per minute were being wasted, according to a Palisades Plumbing employee who was on the scene on other business.
LADWP workers arrived by noon and said the water was spouting as high as the nearby fence posts when they arrived, confirming witness accounts. One worker claimed that high pressure in the pipes caused the water to shoot up and that the situation looked worse than it was.
Fran Reuben, who lives in the 15900 block of Alcima, said workers said they were waiting for the water main to be shut off and for authorization before they could start repairs. –JACQUELINE PRIMO
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