Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews Sunday completed excavation and installed a new section of pipe to replace the broken valve that cut off water to more than 9,200 residents in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch.
The 10-million-gallon Susana Tank was being refilled Sunday night through LADWP’s normal pumping process after days of using a temporary Metropolitan Water District supply. If progress continues, authorities say full service could be restored by Monday morning.
Residents are still urged not to use tap water until further notice to help re-pressurize the system. Once the tank reaches adequate levels, LADWP states that it will begin two 18-hour rounds of water-quality testing before lifting the Boil Water Notice, which has been in effect since Wednesday.
The outage began Tuesday when a valve broke during repair work at a pump station, cutting off flow through a 54-inch pipeline that feeds the Susana Tank. Crews had to excavate 24 feet underground to access the damaged valve, located near oil pipelines, a fiber-optic line and a gas line. The complexity of the site required widening the trench before the valve could be removed.
LADWP officials said the agency has distributed more than 1 million bottles of water and delivered more than 1,200 gallons to vulnerable homebound residents, including seniors and customers with disabilities.
Five service sites remain open for affected customers:
– Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park, 20500 Sesnon Blvd., Porter Ranch (water bottle distribution, recycled water, restrooms, showers, mobile laundry units; open 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.);
– O’Melveny Park, 17300 Sesnon Blvd., Granada Hills (water bottle distribution, recycled water, restrooms; open 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.);
– Intersection of Tampa Avenue and Sesnon Boulevard, on the border of Northridge and Porter Ranch (water bottle and recycled water; open 7 a.m.-9 p.m.);
– YMCA, 11336 Corbin St., Porter Ranch (showers, mobile laundry units; open 5 a.m.- 10 p.m.);
-Intersection of Rinaldi Avenue and Louise Avenue (showers, mobile laundry units, restrooms; open 5 a.m.-10 p.m.).
The affected area is roughly bounded by Rinaldi Avenue to the south, Balboa Boulevard to the east, De Soto Avenue to the west and the foothills to the north.
A complete list of services available to affected customers is available at ladwpnews.com/granada-hills-and-porter-ranch-customer-resources/.