Sewer main leak caused road cave in

This was the necessary excavation that resulted when a gravity sewer main put down in 1929 sprung a leak in Adelaide's inner west recently. The culprit was a 525mm concrete pipe 6m beneath Mooringe Avenue, North Plympton, with a peak flow rate of 160l/sec (capable of filling a swimming pool in four minutes). The leak created suction that drew in soil and blocked the main 10m downstream. The roadway caved in, fracturing a gas main and causing a short-term evacuation for nearby residents and businesses. Despite being the city's worst such event in years, gas retailer Origin Energy and United Water, which manages Adelaide's water assets, maintained services throughout. A temporary repair on the gas main was made permanent while United Water used five pumps and attached hoses to divert sewage to another main. Contractors BJ Jarrad p/l replaced the problem sewer with 525mm PVC pipe and used 800 cu m of backfill. The emergency lasted three days.