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UCLA Wants $13 Million For Damage Caused By The Disastrous Sunset Water Main Break
UCLA says it wants $13 million from LADWP to cover the cost of damage and repairs after last summer's water main burst on Sunset Boulevard flooded the campus.
On Thursday university officials submitted a claim to the utility, which they expect to cover the damage that the 20 million gallons of water caused to five buildings, athletic fields, two parking garages, and the basketball court in Pauley Pavilion that had recently undergone a $136 million renovation. LADWP has previously acknowledged they would bear the responsibility of reimbursing UCLA for the flood damage, and said in a statement to L.A. Times, "UCLA and LADWP have, and will continue to, cooperate regarding the resolution of all UCLA campus-related damages."
Both sides expect the matter to be resolved by the end of the year without having to go to court, and the LADWP says insurance will likely cover most of UCLA's claims. The utility has already handed over at least $2.5 million to cover the damage to hundreds of cars in the underground Parking Structures 4 and 7.
The massive Sunset Geyser took over three hours to finally shut down, and it took crews almost a week to reopen the section of Sunset Boulevard it burst under. The catastrophe put a spotlight on the aging infrastructure of LADWP, which sees near-regular water main bursts throughout the city. On Wednesday, LADWP proposed rate hikes, saying the extra money would go towards repairing and upgrading the city's old pipes, some of which are over a century old.
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