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http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=819334
Burst main 'not linked' to earlier leak
A previous water leak on a footpath in Sydney's eastern suburbs may not be linked to the burst water main which caused a crater on a road and footpath on Thursday night, a Sydney Water spokesman says.
The water main ruptured about 8pm (AEST) on Thursday, leaving a 25-metre crater at the intersection of Victoria and Bellevue Roads in the upmarket suburb of Bellevue Hill.
Several residents have told of a water leak on the footpath earlier in the week.
Sydney Water spokesman Brendan Elliott was unable to confirm whether there was a link between the burst main and those reports.
"We have to deal with the known facts here ... it's natural to assume that they're one and the same event but we don't know that for a fact," Mr Elliott told reporters at the scene.
"What we do know is the very large 300 millimetres main that leads out of the reservoir broke. We believe it did so suddenly."
Water mains could break because of age, traffic, temperature and soil condition, he said.
Woollahra local councillor Nicola Grieve says the incident has destroyed new ponds in nearby Cooper Park.
"I have to say I'm devastated we've lost all this work ... it was just completed, we were really excited," she told reporters.
Bellevue Hill resident Pippa Markham's car is parked just one metre away from the crater and landslide.
Ms Markham, who lives in an apartment block about 50 metres away, was told her car was a metre from falling into the hole by a friend who rushed into her unit to warn her.
Ms Markham came out onto the street to tell two police officers her car was close to the crater.
"They said, well, you're lucky to be alive, forget about your car," she said.
The collapse also broke a gas main, and Ms Markham said the area smelt of gas all night.
Police said Victoria Road would be closed indefinitely between Bellevue and Birriga Roads, while Bellevue Road would be closed between Buller and Victoria Road.
Bellevue Hill Public School, directly opposite the crater is closed.
Workers are constructing metal fencing blocking off the hole and another Sydney Water spokeswoman, Karen Smith, said traffic diversions could be in place for some time, while the damage is assessed.
"There is probably going to be disruption for local traffic around the site for at least a few days while the embankment is repaired," Ms Smith told AAP.
"In terms of the pipe, we haven't been able to fix it because the ground is quite unstable - we're at the site now assessing the damage and assessing what has to be done."
Burst main 'not linked' to earlier leak
A previous water leak on a footpath in Sydney's eastern suburbs may not be linked to the burst water main which caused a crater on a road and footpath on Thursday night, a Sydney Water spokesman says.
The water main ruptured about 8pm (AEST) on Thursday, leaving a 25-metre crater at the intersection of Victoria and Bellevue Roads in the upmarket suburb of Bellevue Hill.
Several residents have told of a water leak on the footpath earlier in the week.
Sydney Water spokesman Brendan Elliott was unable to confirm whether there was a link between the burst main and those reports.
"We have to deal with the known facts here ... it's natural to assume that they're one and the same event but we don't know that for a fact," Mr Elliott told reporters at the scene.
"What we do know is the very large 300 millimetres main that leads out of the reservoir broke. We believe it did so suddenly."
Water mains could break because of age, traffic, temperature and soil condition, he said.
Woollahra local councillor Nicola Grieve says the incident has destroyed new ponds in nearby Cooper Park.
"I have to say I'm devastated we've lost all this work ... it was just completed, we were really excited," she told reporters.
Bellevue Hill resident Pippa Markham's car is parked just one metre away from the crater and landslide.
Ms Markham, who lives in an apartment block about 50 metres away, was told her car was a metre from falling into the hole by a friend who rushed into her unit to warn her.
Ms Markham came out onto the street to tell two police officers her car was close to the crater.
"They said, well, you're lucky to be alive, forget about your car," she said.
The collapse also broke a gas main, and Ms Markham said the area smelt of gas all night.
Police said Victoria Road would be closed indefinitely between Bellevue and Birriga Roads, while Bellevue Road would be closed between Buller and Victoria Road.
Bellevue Hill Public School, directly opposite the crater is closed.
Workers are constructing metal fencing blocking off the hole and another Sydney Water spokeswoman, Karen Smith, said traffic diversions could be in place for some time, while the damage is assessed.
"There is probably going to be disruption for local traffic around the site for at least a few days while the embankment is repaired," Ms Smith told AAP.
"In terms of the pipe, we haven't been able to fix it because the ground is quite unstable - we're at the site now assessing the damage and assessing what has to be done."