Barwon Water flooding bungle
A MISCOMMUNICATION has led to Barwon Water allowing a burst water main to continue flooding properties for more than two hours yesterday.
The water authority issued an apology to Parker St homeowners in Ocean Grove after the burst water main damaged properties and turned their small street into a virtual river.
Barwon Water’s general manager of infrastructure systems, Paul Northey, said the burst water main on Wallington Rd was deliberately left open for about two hours after a miscommunication left crews unaware of its damage to neighbouring Parker St.
“Maintenance contractor Barwon Asset Solutions attended the burst site in Wallington Rd around 7.20am,” Mr Northey said.
“While the earlier calls to Barwon Water had reported flooding in Parker St, a miscommunication on our part meant this was not relayed to the crew and they focused their attention on the immediate site of the burst main, unaware of the water banked up in Parker St,” Mr Northey said.
“The volume of water leaking at the Wallington Rd site was relatively low so, to minimise the impact on customers during the morning peak, the water was not turned off immediately.”
Barwon Water shut down the water only when another crew arrived about 9.30am and was made aware of the Parker St flooding.
The move to shut down the water occurred about four hours after a Parker St resident first notified the authority of the flooding.
“I’m wild with Barwon Water,” one resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said yesterday.
“Our power went out through the night and my husband got up at five this morning and went out and saw our street was flooded. He rang them at 5am, by 8.30am they still weren’t here so I rang and said it was ridiculous, and she said ‘We’re on to it, OK’ and then hung up on me.”
Some homes on the street were flooded, including unoccupied holiday houses, causing extensive damage.
“I’ve just been into the neighbour’s house now because they’re a holiday house, and it’s completely flooded downstairs,” the resident said.
“It’s in our garage, where all our lawnmower, tools, an airconditioning unit and fridge, plus it’s gone into our shed which has got all plaster through it, which is all ruined now. There’s silt everywhere, so there is going to be mud everywhere.”