Residents at bursting point over pipe chaos

The Water Corporation has apologised to Narrogin residents for the inconvenience caused by the recurrent bursting of a water pipe beneath Barron Street.

Last Thursday, the pipe burst again, leaving residents fed up and without water pressure for hours. Narrogin resident Beau Siddons, whose property borders Barron Street, said the pipe bursts were a near-monthly occurrence, stretching back for at least the last 10 years — and without any long-term solutions from the Water Corporation.

“It happens roughly every month they (the Water Corporation) come out, fix it and patch it and that’s about it,” he said.

“They say the whole line is stuffed but they just keep patching it up.”

Brian Hehir is another Narrogin resident whose property borders Barron Street.

“It occurs fairly often — it’s not unusual (for the pipe to burst),” he said.

Water Corporation Great Southern region manager Adrian Stewart disputed claims that the pipe burst up to 12 times a year.

“We acknowledge there have been a number of bursts on this pipe and we apologise to Narrogin residents for any inconvenience this may have caused,” he said.

“While the bursts have not been as regular as monthly, we are assessing the condition of this section of pipe, and this will help inform our replacement program in the longer term.

“Leaks and breaks occur in every water supply scheme and are influenced by a number of factors, including the material and location of the mains, age, and local conditions such as soil types.”