Thousands of San Fernando Valley residents remain without running water as crews continue emergency repairs on a broken underground valve, with officials warning the outage could last through the weekend.
The valve, which supplies water to more than 9,000 customers in Porter Ranch and Granada Hills, failed during repair work last Tuesday at a pump station connected to a 10-million-gallon tank, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
“The infrastructure in L.A. is aging – some of it more than 80 years old,” an LADWP spokesperson said. “We’re replacing it as fast as we can, but these things happen.”
Originally, repairs were expected to be completed by Friday, but ongoing complications have delayed progress. Temporary solutions are now underway, including hundreds of feet of flexible piping rerouting water from a nearby water district. However, officials say the main tank must refill before households see running water again.
In the meantime, residents are being urged to keep faucets closed and suspend use of irrigation systems to help replenish the tank. “It’s tempting to check if water is flowing again,” an LADWP official said, “but every open valve slows down the recovery.”
Frustration is growing among residents who have gone days without basic utilities.
“It’s been really hard,” one local mother told KTLA. “We had to check into a hotel because we have kids. No toilets, no showers – it’s just not manageable.”
To assist affected residents, the city has set up several water distribution sites offering free bottled water, portable showers, handwashing stations, and even mobile laundry units. These centers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Distribution locations include:
- Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park (with showers and laundry units)
- O’Melveny Park in Granada Hills
- The intersection of Tampa Avenue and Sesnon Boulevard
In areas where water service has returned, residents are under a boil water advisory until further notice. The advisory is expected to remain in effect for several days as crews monitor water quality.
For now, many are just hoping for relief – and answers.
“It’s 2025. We live in California,” one resident said. “Something has to change.”
The post Thousands still without water in San Fernando Valley amid emergency repairs appeared first on KTLA.
