Griffith mayor John Dal Broi says a problematic water main will be replaced by the end of the year, but admitted it probably should have been done sooner.
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Griffith City Council will replace the Wakaden Street water main, which had burst several times in the past year and caused chaos for residents and motorists.
The large water pipe running under the southern side of the street burst spectacularly in December, opening a hole in the road after water burst through. Since then the main had ‘let go’ again and again, causing safety concerns.
“We have no idea when the next section will let go,” Councillor Dal Broi said. “Heaven forbid a pedestrian, cyclist or even vehicle is going past when it blows.”
Cr Dal Broi said the replacement of the aging infrastructure had been programmed and budgeted.
“There have been too many breaks and too many in the community have been inconvenienced,” he said. “We’re going to replace the whole line, it’s actually one of the original mains in the city. Our staff are good and we’re keen to see it replaced.”
Residents north of Wakaden Street may have noticed their water pressure drop in the past few months, a result of a measure taken to minimise the chance of another break.
“To mitigate the problem we’ve cut back pressure a bit on the line,” Cr Dal Broi said.