Manhattan Beach Water Main Break Brings Outages, Brown Water
Mar 08, 2025 05:13PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
(A broken water main at 31st and Pacific on Saturday, March 8, 2025.)
A water main broke at 31st and Pacific in Manhattan Beach at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, sending cascades of water down Pacific Avenue.
While the water main break has been fixed, 31st Street between Maple and Pacific remained closed on Sunday.
Some Tree Section residents lost water service during the break, and some continued to have brown water following the incident.
The Manhattan Beach Public
Works Department indicated that the discoloration was likely caused by sediment, iron, or
rust stirred up by the break.
Public Works sent out the following advice for those who notice discoloration or sediment in the water:
• Do not do laundry, as it may stain your clothes.
• Flush your lines for 5 minutes by running cold water from a faucet.
• If the water doesn't clear up, please wait about an hour and check again.
The city then followed with: "Rest assured, the water is safe to drink." (We think they meant "Once it runs clear." But anyone who has chosen to drink the brown water, please reach out to Manhattan Beach News. We've got... questions.)
Why Does the Water Turn Brown?
According to the city, organic and naturally occurring sediments settle at the bottom of water
supply lines. Even though the water flowing through the mains has undergone treatment, when water passes through the pipes faster than normal it can stir up the sediment and cause
water to appear yellow or brown (but not that kind of yellow or brown). The discoloration is caused by minerals, sand, rust, and other particulates.
For questions regarding Manhattan Beach's Water Maintenance Program, please contact the Utilities Division at (310) 802-5304.
