CITY ORDERS WATER PIPE INSPECTION.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Concerned about the rupture of a 76-year-old water main in Encino this month, the City Council voted Tuesday to order the inspection of all similarly aged piping in Los Angeles and development of an expedited plan for making repairs.

The council directed the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to report back in 30 days on which water mains are in the most danger of breaking and how fast the city can replace the riskiest pipes.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski authored the motion after a water main in her district burst open Oct. 16 sending 1.5 million gallons of water into Louise Avenue in Encino, flooding back yards and streets for blocks around.

The councilwoman said the incident ``brought to everybody's attention that there are 65 miles of underground pipeline . . . that in some cases are 70 years old, and the 65 miles was identified as in serious need of repair.''

Miscikowski noted that the DWP had identified 36 of those miles of pipeline as ``in imminent danger of collapse'' but has only replaced less than a mile of pipeline since it adopted a 10-year replacement plan for the worst water mains.

``So I don't think they're anywhere near the 10-year schedule that the department said they were going to adopt,'' Miscikowski said. ``I think the council has to pay attention to this. I want the council to get an identification on the part of the department as to where the more serious or likely breaks may occur and present a plan of repair.''

The broken main sent a bumper-high wave of water down Louise Avenue. No injuries were reported, but two homes were damaged.

In anticipation of the council action, DWP General Manager David Freeman already had ordered his staff to begin work on the report and develop a budget and plan for expediting replacements.

The report will be submitted to the City Council's Commerce and Natural Resources Committee, whose chairwoman, Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, also is concerned about the existence of deteriorating water mains.

``The goal here is to make sure the department is doing what it needs to do and if it's not, to get it back on track,'' Galanter said.