Information attained via email from Clearwater Project spokesperson.

July 10, 2025

An Update on the Clearwater Project Tunnel Incident

To our Clearwater Project supporters,

As many of you may have seen in the news, there was a partial collapse inside the Clearwater Tunnel yesterday at approximately 7:45 p.m. The collapse occurred 370 feet below ground, about five miles south of the shaft site in Wilmington (south of Lomita Avenue and Figueroa Street). On the surface, this location is on Western Avenue, approximately 500 feet south of Weymouth Avenue and entirely within the public right-of-way.

At the time of the incident, 31 workers were inside the tunnel. We’re incredibly grateful to report that all workers were safely evacuated without major injuries and were able to return home to their families.

Our crews have been monitoring the road above the tunnel alignment before and after the tunnel boring machine passed through. This area has been under observation since September 2024, including as recently as April of this year, with no detected ground movement. Survey crews on site today confirmed there is no surface damage or discernible ground movement at this location. Starting today, Sanitation Districts survey crews will conduct daily monitoring in this area, covering 300 feet before and after the collapse location. Readings will be taken across the street at 50-foot intervals.

Up until this point, construction of the tunnel had been progressing smoothly and had nearly reached the six-mile mark. Construction is now on hold while we work to understand the cause of the collapse. The Sanitation Districts, in coordination with our contractor, Flatiron Dragados, have launched a thorough investigation focused on safety, engineering, and structural integrity. At this time, there is no set timeframe for the investigation’s completion.

What we do know is that safety remains the highest priority for the Sanitation Districts, and we will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. On behalf of the Clearwater Project, thank you for understanding.

Maria Rosales-Ramirez (she/her/hers)

Public Information Supervisor | Public Information Office

562-908-4288 ext. 2311

mrosales@lacsd.org