Pools of human waste destroy home of popular farmers market
The beloved Freo Farmers Market is searching for a place to call home for the next month after a burst sewerage main flooded their oval and left a foul smell in the air.
The Sunday morning market was not held on Bruce Lee Oval in Beaconsfield for the first time in three years last week after the sewerage main in Spearwood burst on Friday.
The burst caused wastewater to flood residential areas, parks and roads.
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Market operator Kylie Wheatley told PerthNow the Fremantle Arts Centre threw her a lifeline amid the sewage chaos, but the future of the event remains uncertain.
'Fremantle Arts Centre literally saved us last Sunday and have stepped up again for this week, but we are looking for a site going forward until ours is ready,' she said. The burst caused wastewater to flood residential areas, parks and roads. Credit: 7NEWS / 7NEWS
'I am desperately looking for another site for the following weeks, my phone is running hot with stallholders and the public wanting updates.
'We think it's going to be a month before we can get back to our site.'
Operating at the Freo Arts Centre meant the market had 30 fewer stalls than usual, but Ms Wheatley said the event was still a success.
'It was a huge hit with locals, and regulars as well as a lot of new faces,' she said.
'We had over 1500 through the gates on Sunday, which is amazing with less than a day's notice.
'The Arts Centre would be amazing to keep, but they have their events and programming which we are impacting.'
Ms Wheatley said the challenge she is currently facing is comparable to the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020.
'This is proving difficult,' she said.
'I have 70 stallholders who rely on our weekly market for their income, our farmers come from as far as Margaret River and out to Gingin.
'The market has faced challenges with COVID and now this is another big challenge but we are rising to the challenge.' Four days on from the initial burst, Water Corporation crews stopped the waste overflowing at the Spearwood site, along with further flows in Beaconsfield, Alfred Cove, Applecross and South Fremantle. Credit: Facebook
Four days on from the initial burst, Water Corporation crews stopped the waste overflowing at the Spearwood site, along with further flows in Beaconsfield, Alfred Cove, Applecross and South Fremantle.
Wastewater in Applecross and Alfred Cove was flowing into the Swan River, sparking a warning for river users.
The burst is impacting local businesses, with road closures and the general smell turning people away.
Despite there being no further waste overflow, nearby residents have said they cannot escape the 'smell of poop'.
'Despite having all our windows and doors closed since Friday, the stench continues to permeate our home,' April Peck said.
'It's now coming up through our sinks, toilets and shower drains. The smell is constant and unbearable.'
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