Water-main break causes flooding on Benedict Canyon in Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- A 12-inch water-main break caused flooding on Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills Tuesday morning.

The incident was reported in the 2600 block of Benedict Canyon Drive at about 7:20 a.m. The street was shut down, and drivers were urged to avoid the area.

DWP workers were able to turn off the water and spent hours excavating the failed main, pumping out a deep trench. But not before the water seeped under the pavement, raising the surface of Benedict Canyon Road about 10 inches above driveways in the area.

The pipe was installed in 1953, according to Jean Prendergast of DWP, and it had three leaks since 1997.

"Right now, it's not up for replacement," Prendergast said.

About 50 homes were without water due to the water-main break.

Benedict Canyon, from Mulholland to Hutton drives, was expected to be closed until approximately 5 p.m. The water main was repaired and traffic lanes were reopened shortly after 8 p.m.

This was just the latest in a string of recent Los Angeles water-main breaks. The most visible was the July break that flooded parts of UCLA and the surrounding Westwood neighborhood.