AGING PIPES UNABLE TO WEATHER THE COLD DWP WORKS TO REPAIR LEAKS, RUPTURES.

Byline: RACHEL URANGA Staff Writer

NORTH HOLLYWOOD -- This week's record-breaking cold wave is causing the DWP's aging infrastructure to snap with more than 200 leaks reported, including a rupture Thursday night that flooded a home and opened a yawning crater in a neighborhood street.

Department of Water and Power officials said they think the cold wave that sent overnight lows plunging into the 20s froze hundreds of pipelines citywide.

About 9:30 p.m. Thursday, after getting reports that water was rushing down the 12000 block of Cantara Street, crews found a rupture in a 32-inch riveted steel pipe installed in 1917 -- when engineering pioneer William Mulholland headed the DWP.

``It was a disaster. My front yard did not look like grass -- it was a river,'' said Hina Ali, whose garage was filled with 2feet of muddy water that lapped up to the home's front steps and flooded a back kitchen.

Ali's wedding dress, children's video games, family pictures from India and other valuables were soaked. ``All night we didn't sleep,'' she said. ``We were afraid that more water was going to come in.''

Water from the ruptured pipeline opened a 40-foot-wide, 8-foot-deep hole in the middle of Cantara that had to be drained before repairs to the main could begin.

The DWP has been plagued with water-main breaks in recent years as its water-delivery system ages. Experts say the ruptures will become even more commonplace unless the system is upgraded.

``More of this stuff is going to happen when we have an aging infrastructure,'' said Jiin-Jen Lee, professor of civil engineering and director of the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research at the University of Southern California.

``Rebuilding of the infrastructure is always an urgent matter, especially when the water system in this area is potable water.''

The DWP maintains more than 280 miles of trunk lines and 7,200 main lines carrying water to 670,000 homes, apartments and businesses in Los Angeles.

DWP estimates that about half of the trunk lines -- the larger pipes considered the work horses that carry water to the smaller main lines -- were built before 1940.

Officials estimate it will take 10 years and $2.7 billion before they can replace just half of the existing trunk lines and other infrastructure. At a replacement rate of 100,000 feet per year, there is at least a five-year backlog to replace some of the systems' most corroded and troublesome pipes.

``We are trying to keep on top of that as best we can,'' said Glen Singley, the DWP's director of water engineering, noting that it would take 25 years to swap out the trunk lines at the current rate.

The department increased water rates by 2.75 percent and will implement an identical hike this year to pay for the costly repairs.

A controversial 11percent hike imposed in 2004 was the first in more than a decade and was ferociously criticized after revelations that the DWP had spent lavishly on parties and consultants.

``This rate (increase) is paying for this enhanced infrastructure replacement program,'' DWP spokesman Joe Romalo said.

``The additional funds are being used to address these infrastructure problems that we see in California and the rest of the nation.''

But the record-breaking cold weather has exacerbated the problem.

``In my 30 years, this is something that has never happened,'' said Steven J. Malinoski, the DWP's director of water distribution.

``During the winter months, at the end of December, we have a slight increase in workload due to the cold weather, but this is something I have never seen.''

rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Armen Garibyan works to fix a trunk line that burst under Cantara Street in Sun Valley on Thursday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer