Burst water main at Vincent and Charles streets causes mayhem for Perth drivers

Shortly before 7am, the sinkhole opened up in the road, directly under a driver in an electrical van on Vincent Street westbound in North Perth, metres from the Charles Street traffic lights.

Water flooded the intersection.

Despite the Water Corporation turning it off, the intersection remained flooded and traffic slowed to a crawl during rush hour.

Vincent Street was closed while the driver was rescued and his van towed. He was unharmed.

The left lane of Vincent Street remains closed while specialist crews investigate.

Water Corporation spokeswoman Claire Lugar said experienced crews were required as there was a high pressure gas pipeline in the area.

Repairs continue and the lane is expected to open around 5pm.

Six properties were affected by the wait being shut off, and residents of those properties have been supplied with free bottled water.

Opposition water spokesman Dave Kelly said the latest Economic Regulation Authority report on Perth's water performance showed that over 2014-15 Perth water main breaks had increased by 15.4 per cent to a six-year peak.

This translated to 15 breaks per 100 kilometres of mains in 2015.

The WA government, meanwhile, had stripped $1.5 billion out of the Water Corporation's capital works budget, he said.

"The government needs to come out and explain," he said.

"The government will say that these things just happen but they are happening more and more in a city where congestion is already a problem.

"This morning's just another bit of congestion commuters could have done without."

Water Minister Mia Davies apologised for the disruption and said the pipe was laid in 1916.

Pipes generally lasted 80-100 years and though this pipe was entering its 100th year, there had been no sign of leaks or bursts in the area until this point.

Water Corporation was mindful not to cause disruption when there was no need to so it often timed asset works and assessments to coincide with planned council roadworks, to minimise inconvenience to motorists.

She said the Corporation's capital budget had reduced because the government took power in a time of "extraordinary activity", of new facilities in the Pilbara and the South West, which had now ended.

But there was a difference between capital budget and operations and maintenance budgets, which had not been reduced as the government recognised the network was ageing.

She said since the 2009-2010 financial year, the asset renewals budget had tripled and over the past financial year, the maintenance budget had increased by $6 million.

"Let's remember that Water Corporation is responsible for a significant number of and length of pipelines and it compared very well in the report to other utilities across the nation and there were a number of positives about its performance," she said.  

Burst water main causing FLOODING at int. VINCENT & CHARLES St. North Perth - Left lanes closed pic.twitter.com/6SgXiiBVoQ— Nova937News (@Nova937News) February 9, 2016