Yesterday a geyser of water erupted on Melrose Avenue at Wilton Place shooting water and flooding the street for more than an hour when a 100 year-old water main broke under the street.
According to Beti Robles, manager at the  Hollywood Historic Hotel, when she came in to work, she noticed water started to seep out of the storm drains along the side of the street and then out of the manhole in the middle of the street.  Robles said she when she called the LA DWP to report the water, another neighbor had already called in the break and the DWP was on the way. Shortly thereafter, the pressure started to build, blowing of the off manhole spewing a geyser of water and asphalt on the sidewalk and flooding the street for over an hour.
Robles said the hotel had no water all day until 10 pm that night. Robles shared the following videos she took.
According to LAist, which published some dramatic video footage of the geyser that resulted from the broken pipe, LADWP spokesperson Kim Hughes said the pipe that burst was a 10″ pipe and that crews were in the process of shutting off the flow in order to excavate the water main and make repairs.
In an updated report posted later, LAist reported that Ellen Cheng of the LADWP told LAist that the pipe that burst under Melrose was 100 years old and, had “been scheduled for replacement within the next five years.” She added that Melrose is currently closed between North Gramercy and North Wilton places and that crews are scheduled to have their work done by 7 p.m.
When the Buzz went by this morning, the road was dry and repaired. All that remained was a gritty sidewalk covers with asphalt debris.
