Water service restored in Granada Hills, Porter Ranch but boil water notice still in place
GRANADA HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- After several days without water, service has finally been restored for thousands of customers in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch, but restrictions are still in effect.
Crews with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had been working to replace a broken valve that cut off water to more than 9,000 residents in the area since last week.
The LADWP announced that service was fully restored as of 2:27 a.m. Monday.
However, a boil water notice is still in effect. Customers can now use the tap water for daily tasks such as showering or flushing toilets but they should avoid drinking it.
The LADWP says it needs to complete two 18-hour rounds of water-quality testing before it confirms that the water is safe. Officials note that drinking unclean water could lead to stomach or intestinal illness.
Despite that restriction, residents said they were glad to be able to use water for most things again.
"I'm thankful that we have some water usage now. I mean, it's been a huge inconvenience. It's unbelievable," said Porter Ranch resident Diane.
"It's been a nightmare. We've been struggling. I have four boys under 4, so just giving them a bath makes you really grateful for the simple things you know. We're just happy to get back to normal," said Porter Ranch resident Emad Boulos.
The affected area is bounded roughly by Rinaldi Avenue on the south, Balboa Boulevard on the east, De Soto Avenue on the west and the foothills and hills on the north.
Repairs reached a "critical point" Saturday when a pipe blew out, spilling water onto the street. Video obtained by Eyewitness News showed a water line break near the valve crews were trying to repair, which caused flooding through the streets and the backyard of a home.
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.
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.
"We take for granted those things that we have, normally. And when we don't have them anymore, we realize it, so we're all very blessed, very lucky," said Porter Ranch resident Ann McConnell.
LADWP officials said the agency has distributed more than one 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 distribution, 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 distribution, 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 distribution and recycled water distribution; 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 and Louise Avenue (showers, mobile laundry units, restrooms; open 5 a.m.-10 p.m.)
A complete list of services available to affected customers is available at ladwpnews.com.
City News Service contributed to this report.
