Broken Water Main Causes Flooding at UCLA

A water main that was installed in 1921 broke on Tuesday, flooding parts of the University of California, Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES—A water main that was installed in 1921 broke on Tuesday, flooding parts of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Millions of gallons of the wet stuff flooded two parking lots, the Wooden Center and the recently renovated Pauley Pavilion, stranding people and cars, reports Bruins Nation. In some areas, water was more than knee-deep. Many vehicles were under water, and 700 were marooned.

Fortunately, no one was injured, although swift-water rescue teams responded to the scene.

Sunset Blvd., which is a main thoroughfare not only for UCLA but for the west side of Los Angeles, was shut down due to a sink hole where the water main broke. Much of the city’s infrastructure dates from the 1920s and shortly after World War II, reports the Los Angeles Times. In 2009, Los Angeles experienced a number of breaks, as well as one on Thursday in Eagle Rock, reports CBS News..

A spokeswoman for UCLA says the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) should pay for the damages caused by the ruptured water main.

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