Latest news with #CityofFremantle
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Human waste flows into major city's river
Perth residents have been warned to shut their windows and stay out of the Swan River after human waste spilt into the waterway for a second time in just weeks. Water Corporation crews were repairing a burst wastewater main when they ran into technical issues, causing wastewater to backup and overflow into the river last week. Residents were told to avoid all water activities in the Upper Swan between Bassendean and Viveash, in Perth's east, until further notice and avoid outdoor exercise in areas that stank. 'Stay away from all affected water in the area,' a public health alert read. 'Temporary odour may be experienced in the vicinity of the affected area. To minimise odours, please keep windows closed and consider using fans or air purifiers if needed.' It is the second incident in the past month where pools of human waste have spilt into the Swan River from burst wastewater pipes. Raw sewage flowed across soccer pitches in Beaconsfield in June and ran all the way into Fremantle's Fishing Boat Harbour. The City of Fremantle found human waste at the stormwater drain at the southern end of the harbour and closed the groyne. Beaconsfield residents told Nine it smelled like a toilet. Opposition water spokesman Peter Rundall called for an audit of Western Australia's wastewater infrastructure to prevent further environmental disasters. Mr Rundall said while the state government boasted about multi-billion dollar surpluses, essential sewage services were falling apart. 'This isn't just an infrastructure failure – it's a serious public health and environmental threat,' he said. 'Families and communities have been exposed to human waste, and the public is being told to stay away from one of Perth's most iconic natural assets. 'This should be a wake-up call – the community deserves transparency on how water infrastructure is being funded and where it's falling short. 'Western Australians deserve better than this.' Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti told media a second spill was clearly unacceptable and the government would work with Water Corporation to find out what could be done to prevent these incidents from occurring. 'This is not something that we want to see, or is acceptable, so we will continue to work with that agency to see what else we can do in relation to making sure we prevent these types of spillages,' she said.
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
‘Environmental disaster:' Residents told to shut windows as more human waste flows into Perth's Swan River
Perth residents have been warned to shut their windows and stay out of the Swan River after human waste spilt into the waterway for a second time in just weeks. Water Corporation crews were repairing a burst wastewater main when they ran into technical issues, causing wastewater to backup and overflow into the river last week. Residents were told to avoid all water activities in the Upper Swan between Bassendean and Viveash, in Perth's east, until further notice and avoid outdoor exercise in areas that stank. 'Stay away from all affected water in the area,' a public health alert read. 'Temporary odour may be experienced in the vicinity of the affected area. To minimise odours, please keep windows closed and consider using fans or air purifiers if needed.' It is the second incident in the past month where pools of human waste have spilt into the Swan River from burst wastewater pipes. Raw sewage flowed across soccer pitches in Beaconsfield in June and ran all the way into Fremantle's Fishing Boat Harbour. The City of Fremantle found human waste at the stormwater drain at the southern end of the harbour and closed the groyne. Beaconsfield residents told Nine it smelled like a toilet. Opposition water spokesman Peter Rundall called for an audit of Western Australia's wastewater infrastructure to prevent further environmental disasters. Mr Rundall said while the state government boasted about multi-billion dollar surpluses, essential sewage services were falling apart. 'This isn't just an infrastructure failure – it's a serious public health and environmental threat,' he said. 'Families and communities have been exposed to human waste, and the public is being told to stay away from one of Perth's most iconic natural assets. 'This should be a wake-up call – the community deserves transparency on how water infrastructure is being funded and where it's falling short. 'Western Australians deserve better than this.' Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti told media a second spill was clearly unacceptable and the government would work with Water Corporation to find out what could be done to prevent these incidents from occurring. 'This is not something that we want to see, or is acceptable, so we will continue to work with that agency to see what else we can do in relation to making sure we prevent these types of spillages,' she said.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Massive sewage leak takes over several Perth suburbs: 'Smells like a toilet'
A massive sewage leak has left several suburbs smelling 'like a toilet' after the stinking deluge entered a major river system. The spill began on Friday when a sewer main burst on Hamilton Road in Spearwood, south Perth, Western Australia. The deluge made its way into the Swan River while Beaconsfield, Alfred Cove, Applecross and South Fremantle have also been impacted by the stench. Spearwood Park was left inundated by the sludge while the Fremantle commercial and recreational fishing boat harbour has also been affected. Authorities have since managed to stop the waste from running into the Swan River after constructing custom-made pipes, but a massive cleanup remains. 'Went out to look and you could smell it,' a Beaconsfield resident told Channel Nine. 'It smells like a toilet.' The City of Fremantle on Monday night warned residents to avoid the Fishing Boat Harbour. 'Sewage has been identified at the stormwater drain at the southern end of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour,' a spokesman said. 'As a result, the groyne in the Fishing Boat Harbour is closed until further notice.' A spokeswoman from the government water authority Water Corporate warned Spearwood and Beaconsfield residents the smell would remain as the cleanup continued. She said the repair in Spearwood was 'quite complex'. 'Instead of being able to weld a band around that pipeline, we're having to prefabricate a new section of pipeline,' she said. Water Corporate erected signs near the pool of human waste at Spearwood Park warning people not to sail or jet ski on the water, swim in it or drink it. Photos shared to social media on Friday showed suburban streets covered in inches of waste water as council workers cornered off the areas.
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
‘Smells like a toilet': Workers scramble to mop up mass sewage leak in Perth's inner suburbs
A creeping deluge of human waste sliding into Perth's Swan River has been stopped but authorities are having to custom-make pipes to fix the massive spill. The spill centred around the suburbs of Beaconsfield and Spearwood, just to the south of Fremantle, and began on Friday. On Monday night, pools of human waste were still sitting across soccer pitches in Beaconsfield, and had run down to the Fremantle commercial and recreational fishing boat harbour. 'Sewage has been identified at the stormwater drain at the southern end of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour,' a spokesperson for the City of Fremantle said on Monday night. 'As a result, the groyne in the Fishing Boat Harbour is closed until further notice.' Water Corporation has warned people not to fish in sections of the Swan River or at the Fremantle Sailing Club because of overflows. The government water authority also cautioned people that areas in Spearwood and Beaconsfield could smell bad. 'Went out to look and you could smell it,' a Beaconsfield resident told Channel 9. 'Smells like a toilet.' The issue started when a sewer main burst on Hamilton Road in Spearwood on Friday. Small and related overflows were sparked in the leafy, riverside suburbs of Alfred Cove, Applecross and seaside South Fremantle. These overflows, in and around the Swan River, have entered the major river. 'The repair in Spearwood is quite complex, instead of being able to weld a band around that pipeline, we're having to prefabricate a new section of pipeline,' a Water Corporation spokesman told media on Monday. The water authority was also forced to erect a sign near the stagnant pool of human waste at a Spearwood park, telling people not to jet ski or sail on the water, drink it or swim in it.
