New clues found in L.A.'s rash of water main breaks
Author: Jessica Garrison
Source : http://www.latimes.com
Excerpt from latimes.com November 18, 2009 article:
An unusually full reservoir, faulty trunk line may have put too much pressure on deteriorated cast-iron pipes more susceptible to ruptures, the DWP says in a report.
The rash of water main breaks that flooded streets, homes and businesses and snarled traffic throughout Los Angeles over the last few months may have been triggered by minor increases in pressure because of an unusually full reservoir and fluctuations after a trunk line ruptured in Studio City in September.
In a report prepared for the City Council and made public Tuesday, Department of Water and Power officials wrote that they still don't know conclusively what caused the rash of breaks. They also are still waiting for input from scientists at USC and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory who are analyzing seismic activity and other issues to see if they are factors.
But after analyzing dozens of incidents, officials determined that many of the breaks occurred in corroded, deteriorated cast-iron pipe. This type of pipe causes greater damage to streets when it ruptures, leading to more "major blowouts," the report states.
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