Recent sewage spills in Spearwood, Beaconsfield and Caversham have raised alarm bells on the state of pipes in inner-city Perth.
Burst pipes caused wastewater to encroach on parks, residential homes and into the Swan River.
The State Government is responsible for upgrading sewerage, water and main drainage assets.
City of Vincent mayor Alison Xamon wants it to work with inner-city local governments on addressing ageing pipes.
Camera IconWater Corporation, plumbers and earthmovers were at Westonia Park in Spearwood after sewerage flooded the park. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian
“We need to ensure essential infrastructure is able to accommodate increased density.
“It was concerning to see the significant health and amenity impacts that these spills had on residents and the Swan River and I am sure the State Government does not want to see a repeat.
“Together with other inner-city councils, we want to work with the State Government to create a forum to co-ordinate key State infrastructure delivery such as water, drainage and sewerage infrastructure works.
“Local government needs to understand the State Government’s plan when it comes to infrastructure so we can better prepare for the servicing of our community needs and infrastructure.”
There are 8000 drains and 122km of underground pipes in the City of Vincent. Some are more than 120 years old.
Ms Xamon said while Vincent had continued to maintain its existing infrastructure, it needed to be upgraded to meet housing and population targets.
Camera IconCity of Vincent mayor Alison Xamon. Credit: Iain Gillespie/The West Australian
“The State Government has set an infill target for Vincent of 11,500 dwellings by 2050, in addition to a population growth of an additional 25,000 people,” she said.
“We also continue to approve housing applications and the State-appointed Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel is giving the green light to medium to high-density developments.
“Unfortunately, the current state of pipes and drains does not support the predicted increase in homes and residents across our suburbs.
“The impact of climate change places further pressure on infrastructure to withstand major unprecedented events like we have experienced in recent years.
“So I encourage the State Government to look at redirecting funds earned by agencies such as the Water Corporation into upgrading critical infrastructure to ensure communities are prepared and resilient for years to come.”
Water Minister Don Punch said due to significant challenges posed by climate change and rapid population growth, the State Government was ensuring it had “strong investment” in existing water and wastewater infrastructures, with the addition of $35m in last month’s State Budget.
Camera IconA massive sewerage spill affected a number of suburbs in Perth’s south. Credit: AAP
“This is in addition to nearly $80m extra over two years allocated under the 2023-24 State Budget for network renewals,” he said.
“This funding supports a rolling program of work to replace or renew ageing water and wastewater infrastructure across Perth, with $39.5m to be spent relining wastewater pipes and $40.4m to replace ageing water mains.”
A Water Corporation spokesperson said while isolated issues can occur, it invested significantly in both maintenance and renewal.
“We have an ongoing inspection program that helps us monitor the condition of our network and prioritise work,” the spokesperson said.
“From 2014 to 2024, Water Corporation invested more than $270 million renewing ageing wastewater infrastructure across Perth.
“This year alone, we expect to spend around $100 million on water and wastewater renewals in the metropolitan area — one of our largest ever annual investments.
“Although some sections of our network are older, it is the condition of a pipe, not its age, that best indicates its performance.
“Older pipes can remain in service for decades with appropriate inspection and maintenance, while newer pipes may be susceptible to early failure under certain environmental conditions.”
The spokesperson said the Water Corporation worked closely with local governments during the planning and delivery of projects and would continue to collaborate with them to deliver critical infrastructure upgrades and renewals.
