Residents near the Pico-Robertson area in Los Angeles were frustrated with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power after it took crews three days to arrive at a main break that spilled water throughout the weekend during a statewide historic drought. Ted Chen reports for NBC4 News at 5 p.m. from Los Angeles Monday, Sept. 22, 2014.
It's a familiar sight - DWP crews working to fix yet another water main break.
Yet as crews worked Monday, what upset some residents of a neighborhood near Olympic and Robertson boulevards this time around is the length of time it took for crews to get here.
“Saturday morning when I got up it was still there,” said Sondra Gutierrez, who said she remembered seeing water leaking on the south end of Wooster Street Friday night when the water main first broke and then throughout the weekend.
Three days later, crews arrived.
“It was like a little mini water fountain, like a little burst of water coming out,” Gutierrez said. “That was the first thing I was thinking what a waste of water-- what a waste.”
Residents said there have been multiple leaks on the street in the past year, and they’re frustrated to see the water going to waste during a drought.
A DWP official said crews were delayed because of multiple breaks on Friday and throughout the weekend. Officials say the number of breaks is about average for September.
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Another neighborhood resident said he understands, but it's tough for him to get any sleep on his only day off
“I was trying to get some sleep and there was no way and I told them, ‘I hope you guys are looking for gold because if you're not then can't make that much noise around here,’” said Enzo Salinie.
No estimate yet on just how much water was lost during the three days the water main was flowing. DWP said it averages about three breaks per day. Last year there were 1,068 and so far this year there have been about 750.
