By Callum Ludwig
A number of large water wains in the Upper Yarra burst on Thursday 7 July which impacted residents’ water pressure.
The incidents occurred on Bellbird Avenue Launching Place, Barrowby Avenue Woori Yallock and Old Don Rd Don Valley.
General Manager of Distribution Services at Yarra Valley Water Bridie Fennessy said they sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by the incidents.
“There were several water main bursts yesterday. Our maintenance crew were on hand to respond quickly and we immediately notified our customers through our usual channels,” she said.
“The issue has been resolved and all services are back to normal. We also provided drinking water for our customers on-site while essential emergency works were carried out.”
The high pressures at which water travels through the Yarra Valley are often a contributing factor to burst water mains, which often causes incidents as the strength of pipes reduces as they age.
If water is not flowing at its usual rate out of taps, it may indicate that there are planned or emergency works underway. Residents can use the links found here to check if there are any faults or planned works: www.yvw.com.au/faults-works/water-pressure-and-quality/low-water-pressure
If there are no works being carried out, residents can check if the problem is occurring on their property by taking the Bucket Test:
Make sure the stop tap at your water meter is completely open.
Get a 10-litre bucket.
Using the tap closest to your meter, time how long it takes to fill up the bucket with water.
If it fills in thirty seconds, this indicates that there may be a water pressure issue on your property (after the water meter), which would require the services of a plumber.
If it does not fill in thirty seconds, this indicates an issue with the pressure of the water supply coming into your property (before the water meter), and a Yarra Valley Water team member should be called to come to your property to investigate.
Residents can contact Yarra Valley Water at 13 27 62 to report a problem.
