A significant sewage spill has hit several suburbs in Perth’s southern areas, initiating cleanup efforts after five days of disruption for residents. The ordeal began when a sewer pipe in Spearwood burst, overwhelming the community with raw sewage. Cleanup operations have commenced at Watsonia Park, which transformed from a pond into a contaminated pool due to the incident on Hamilton Road.
Residents like Adam Morolla express the dire situation, describing the intolerable stench that has made the outdoors uninhabitable. The Water Corporation initially aimed to fix the pipe overnight; however, they encountered unexpected complexities that delayed repairs. Dean Stacey, the media and external affairs manager for the Corporation, stated that the pipe burst occurred in a particularly challenging location, complicating the repair process. This incident not only caused the Spearwood pipe to rupture, but it also triggered further issues, including a second burst in Beaconsfield and sewage overflows impacting Fremantle Harbour and areas of the Swan River.
Despite ongoing health warnings, Western Australia Premier Roger Cook has asserted that this incident should not be attributed to maintenance failures. He reiterated the extent of the water infrastructure network in the metropolitan area and insisted that there was no indication of negligence contributing to the event. Residents have raised concerns about insufficient communication from the government, particularly those directly affected like Ken Stevens, whose property has been inundated with sewage. He lamented the lack of timely notification, arguing that assistance and relocation accommodations should have been provided by authorities during this crisis.
While the Water Corporation currently estimates that repairs may be completed by tomorrow, there is recognition that it could take longer. Stacey acknowledged the uncharacteristic nature of such occurrences but promised to mitigate the disruption caused to local residents.