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Water Main Break Next to UCLA Prompts Flooding on Campus, Closure of Sunset Blvd.
abc ^ | 7/29/14

Posted on 07/29/2014 5:22:51 PM PDT by doug from upland

LIVE VIDEO AT THE LINK

A 102-year-old water main broke in Westwood Tuesday, sending water flooding into streets and the UCLA campus, stranding people and vehicles and prompting the closure of Sunset Boulevard on Tuesday.

The water main break sent a geyser gushing into the air on July 29, 2014. (Credit: KTLA) The water main break sent a geyser gushing into the air on July 29, 2014. (Credit: KTLA) People were stranded by the rising water, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which was called to the incident shortly before 3:30 p.m.

Three people were rescued from parking structures, the department’s Brian Humphrey told KTLA. Two of the structures were flooded with rising waters, but no academic facilities were impacted, officials said.

A geyser of water was shooting several dozen feet into the air from a hole in a roadway near the Spieker Aquatic Center, video from Sky5 showed. A main had broken in the center of Sunset Boulevard, LAFD Capt. Jaime Moore said.

Utility crews were shutting down multiple valves to avoid rupturing lines, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power stated on Twitter about 5:10 p.m.

While authorities were urging people to avoid the area and stay out of the water, the Fire Department was responding with four swift-water boats that could be deployed.

Students were walking through the waters, despite warnings that it should be avoided. (Credit: Vu Pham) Students were walking through the waters, despite warnings that it should be avoided. (Credit: Vu Pham) “We’re treating this the same as we would a flash flood,” Moore said from the scene. “Everybody is safe as long as they stay away from this water.”

Sunset Boulevard was closed from Marymount Place to Westwood Plaza, according to LAFD.

On Twitter, DWP said the broken pipe was 36 inches in diameter; L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said it had been installed in 1912.

The address given for the flooding was 10630 W. Sunset Blvd., next to the UCLA campus (map). Water was flowing over much of the campus, aerial video showed.

Moore urged people to stay away from the water because of slippery conditions, fast-running water, and debris.

Nonetheless, aerial video showed dozens of people walking through giant brown pools of water across the campus.

People could be seen wading through water from a massive main break on the UCLA campus July 29, 2014. (Credit: KTLA) People could be seen wading through water from a massive main break on the UCLA campus July 29, 2014. (Credit: KTLA) “People are standing in the water almost out of a sense of amusement,” Humphrey told KTLA. “It doesn’t take much more than an ankle depth of water to sweep somebody into harm’s way, so we’re hoping to get UCLA campus officials to move people here away … from this very dramatic cascade of water.”

Traffic was jammed in the area, the Los Angeles Police Department stated in an advisory.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bluezones; drought; flood; ucla; water; watermain; westwood
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To: doug from upland

Pauley Pavilion hardwood under water.


41 posted on 07/29/2014 7:04:15 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: doug from upland

Source: ESPN LA

42 posted on 07/29/2014 7:14:34 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: Pajamajan
Actually, from what I've heard, conserving water is what causes the pipes to break because it changes the pressure in them.

Dang it!
They went and changed the ages old physical laws of hydraulics since I retired!

I better look that up, it must be amazing.

43 posted on 07/29/2014 7:31:07 PM PDT by publius911 ( Politicians come and go... but the (union) bureaucracy lives and grows forever.)
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To: dragnet2

the reporters ARE SO DUMB!!!


44 posted on 07/29/2014 7:43:40 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: hole_n_one

Just DAM*!!!


45 posted on 07/29/2014 7:44:31 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: publius911

That information probably came from the LADWP official, Lou Flung Poo.

Spokeman Flung Poo said consumers cut back on their water usage so much, the pipe just went limp and collapsed on itself.


46 posted on 07/29/2014 7:45:50 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: dragnet2
... they'll likely argue for weeks about the design for their new tear drop water lapels, in an effort to show they care and cry for the planet"

And just their tear drop lapels will end up costing tax payers a mere six million dollars.

You should run for a post at LA city council-Or apply for a job at DWP.

47 posted on 07/29/2014 7:46:28 PM PDT by Pajamajan ( Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't wait. Do it today.??)
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To: markman46

Ya got to love it...You can hear the studio engineer or someone in the background whispering to the reporter interviewer, “it’s a prank call”

As she continues to interview him, the reporter eventually says the call was disconnected and then she said”, “We’ll see if we can reconnect with the spokesperson”...

Ohhhhhhh yes....

My kind of prank...El Perfecto. I needed it.


48 posted on 07/29/2014 7:56:28 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: doug from upland

Tim Conway interviews the prankster. He’s a regular KFI listener. Always a good day when the media is exposed for the frauds they are.


49 posted on 07/29/2014 7:56:44 PM PDT by HokieMom (Pacepa : Can the U.S. afford a president who can't recognize anti-Americanism?)
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To: Pajamajan

Actually I was thinking about the attorney general spot. Has a nice ring to it and I like the uniforms.

50 posted on 07/29/2014 8:01:24 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: doug from upland

Will L.A. DWP get fined by the state for wasting millions (if not billions) of gallons of water during a severe drought? Any maintenance done to the pipe since 1912?


51 posted on 07/29/2014 8:01:54 PM PDT by Drago
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To: markman46
KCAL: Floor is irreparably damaged and will need to be replaced.
52 posted on 07/29/2014 8:04:09 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: Drago

All water from the Owens Valley I’m sure where the lakes are being drained. The aqueduct bringing water to L.A. was built in 1912.


53 posted on 07/29/2014 8:27:33 PM PDT by Inyo-Mono (NRA)
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To: dragnet2
The last time this happened, the pipes started rupturing right after they began drastic water conservation efforts, too.

Today, they said they had to shut off water slowly because of concern over changing pressure in the pipes. But it could certainly be another BS story to weasle more money from the tax payers. I have no idea-just posting something I remembered from previous coverage of breaks in the system.

(Like you said-perhaps they were arguing for 4 hours over which way to turn the valve :-)

54 posted on 07/29/2014 8:36:22 PM PDT by Pajamajan ( Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't wait. Do it today.??)
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To: hole_n_one
Major expense to fix that, looking at several million that the school doesn’t have.
55 posted on 07/30/2014 4:53:52 AM PDT by 2001convSVT (Going Galt as fast as I can.)
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To: dragnet2

OH Yeah KFI really goofing on them even Shannon Farahn John and Ken newslady said oh I am I am back from vacation today LOL!


56 posted on 07/30/2014 9:33:04 AM PDT by SevenofNine (We are Freepers, all your media bases belong to us ,resistance is futile)
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