Water Main Break Shuts Down Topanga Canyon Boulevard

TOPANGA, CA — A water main break has closed down a portion of Topanga Canyon Road from Santa Maria Road to Entrado Drive, according to Sigalert.com. The break, which was first reported at 1:16 p.m. Tuesday, has closed down traffic in both lanes for a 0.8-mile stretch.

This is unwelcome news to a city dealing with seemingly constant road closures, power outages, and water breaks for the past few days.

The new shutdown comes just four hours after a portion of the road, from Pacific Coast Highway to Fernwood Pacific Drive, closed from Monday night until Wednesday morning. The roughly 36-hour closure occurred after a vehicle hit an electrical pole Monday night, which caused a one to two-acre brush fire and a power outage for roughly 1000 nearby customers. Firefighters put the brush fire out within an hour, but the road closure and power outages remained through Tuesday.

The water burst also comes after a pair of burst water mains and a sheared fire hydrant shut down Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu RoadSunday morning, after a vehicle slammed into a fire hydrant along PCH. This flooded the westbound side of PCH, and all westbound lanes were closed. Right after they reopened at around 7 a.m., a pair of busted water mains closed eastbound lanes of PCH, and Malibu Road. Eastbound lanes reopened at 9 a.m.

The city of Malibu announced the reopening of Topanga Canyon Road at around 9:30 Wednesday. Three customers in the area still lack power as of 1:25 p.m. Tuesday, but Southern California Edison says it will be restored by 7 p.m. Wednesday.

At the same time, Southern California Edison warned that they may shut off power in the Point Dume area of Malibu from Wednesday at 7 p.m. to Friday at 2 p.m. due to Red Fag fire conditions. Residents should be prepared for potential power outages, fire, and evacuations. The Cutherbert Circuit includes most of Point Dume from approximately Westward Beach Road to Latigo Canyon. See maps here. Tips for managing a public safety power shutdown can be found on the city's website.