❓ Ms. Evangel asks about burst water mains on Wellington Street. The Minister details the Water Corporation's response, pipe replacement progress, investigation findings (pipe older than expected), and new technology being implemented to prevent future issues.
AnsweredQoN 58Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BURST
WATER MAINS — WELLINGTON STREET, PERTH
58. Ms E. EVANGEL to the Minister for Water:
Can the minister please update the house on the stretch of
pipe along Wellington Street, in my electorate, which suffered three failures
within two weeks, causing considerable inconvenience to motorists and
residents, and the outcomes of any investigations into why the pipe failed?
WATER MAINS — WELLINGTON STREET, PERTH
58. Ms E. EVANGEL to the Minister for Water:
Can the minister please update the house on the stretch of
pipe along Wellington Street, in my electorate, which suffered three failures
within two weeks, causing considerable inconvenience to motorists and
residents, and the outcomes of any investigations into why the pipe failed?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Perth for the question and of course
for her interest in the matter, because it is a very serious issue for her
electorate when there was the level of disruption that occurred not that long
ago when the pipe burst. It is important to re-acknowledge that the Water
Corporation had a very quick response to the matter. As I said in the chamber
during a motion led by the opposition, once the second pipe burst, the Water
Corporation actually made a decision to replace the pipe and put in some
temporary pipes for the residents who are serviced by the pipeline in that
area. The pipe replacement is progressing very well, in conjunction with the
City of Perth and, of course, Main Roads Western Australia. They are in the
process of completing stage 1 of three stages. Stage 1 is the area to the north
of Wellington Street between Havelock Street and Sutherland Street. Stages 2
and 3, which deals with the area along the south side of Wellington Street from
Sutherland Street right through to Colin Street, will be worked on and
hopefully completed in the coming weeks. It is important that we minimise the
level of disruption. It is absolutely critical to the commuters who use that
area. It is not just during the busy day; it is also times like the weekends.
Last weekend the Black Sabbath concert was in town. Ensuring that we do not
have disruption in those areas during those sorts of concerts is also important
to the community, and of course we are carrying out a number of works at
night-time.
The house will recall that I did mention that assessments of
the pipe were happening, and I think I made the public statement that there was
some evidence of premature ageing of the pipe; the investigations into that
have been completed. The Water Corporation initially believed that the pipe in
question was around 50 to 60 years old, but further analysis suggests that the
pipe may actually have been more than 100 years old. The Water Corporation
research suggests that the pipe was actually relined in 1946, just post the
Second World War. That was also following some work done to actually refurbish
that pipe, when a concrete slurry was put inside it and something was drawn
through the pipe to push it out to the sides. So, in fact, the records that
were in place post the Second World War in 1946 were not good, and in fact
showed some inadequacy in terms of the assessment of the pipes. It certainly is
considerably older than was first thought.
In light of this, the decision was made by the Water
Corporation to roll out some new technology ahead of time; it is work it has
been doing over the past 12 months or so and it has been trialling some
broadband electromagnetic imaging technology that is put on the pipe in certain
sections to actually get a scan, like we would have a CAT scan. It looks
through the pipe to check the lining, to check the thickness of that lining and
to actually get a formal assessment of the adequacy of that pipe. In fact, the
Water Corporation is the first in Australia to license that technology, and it
will roll that technology out into other streets in the CBD where it believes
there may well be pipes it has concerns about. We do not expect there to be any
serious problems. We responded to it quickly, we are bringing forward key
technology to ensure that we do not have a repetition of those sorts of issues,
and I think the public should have confidence in the Water Corp and its
response.
for her interest in the matter, because it is a very serious issue for her
electorate when there was the level of disruption that occurred not that long
ago when the pipe burst. It is important to re-acknowledge that the Water
Corporation had a very quick response to the matter. As I said in the chamber
during a motion led by the opposition, once the second pipe burst, the Water
Corporation actually made a decision to replace the pipe and put in some
temporary pipes for the residents who are serviced by the pipeline in that
area. The pipe replacement is progressing very well, in conjunction with the
City of Perth and, of course, Main Roads Western Australia. They are in the
process of completing stage 1 of three stages. Stage 1 is the area to the north
of Wellington Street between Havelock Street and Sutherland Street. Stages 2
and 3, which deals with the area along the south side of Wellington Street from
Sutherland Street right through to Colin Street, will be worked on and
hopefully completed in the coming weeks. It is important that we minimise the
level of disruption. It is absolutely critical to the commuters who use that
area. It is not just during the busy day; it is also times like the weekends.
Last weekend the Black Sabbath concert was in town. Ensuring that we do not
have disruption in those areas during those sorts of concerts is also important
to the community, and of course we are carrying out a number of works at
night-time.
The house will recall that I did mention that assessments of
the pipe were happening, and I think I made the public statement that there was
some evidence of premature ageing of the pipe; the investigations into that
have been completed. The Water Corporation initially believed that the pipe in
question was around 50 to 60 years old, but further analysis suggests that the
pipe may actually have been more than 100 years old. The Water Corporation
research suggests that the pipe was actually relined in 1946, just post the
Second World War. That was also following some work done to actually refurbish
that pipe, when a concrete slurry was put inside it and something was drawn
through the pipe to push it out to the sides. So, in fact, the records that
were in place post the Second World War in 1946 were not good, and in fact
showed some inadequacy in terms of the assessment of the pipes. It certainly is
considerably older than was first thought.
In light of this, the decision was made by the Water
Corporation to roll out some new technology ahead of time; it is work it has
been doing over the past 12 months or so and it has been trialling some
broadband electromagnetic imaging technology that is put on the pipe in certain
sections to actually get a scan, like we would have a CAT scan. It looks
through the pipe to check the lining, to check the thickness of that lining and
to actually get a formal assessment of the adequacy of that pipe. In fact, the
Water Corporation is the first in Australia to license that technology, and it
will roll that technology out into other streets in the CBD where it believes
there may well be pipes it has concerns about. We do not expect there to be any
serious problems. We responded to it quickly, we are bringing forward key
technology to ensure that we do not have a repetition of those sorts of issues,
and I think the public should have confidence in the Water Corp and its
response.
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