Update – Thursday 2pm: Three businesses on Liverpool Street have been inundated by water from a burst water main in the Hobart CBD, which occurred around 12pm this afternoon.
Shop owners have expressed their frustration with TasWater after the utility company took around an hour to arrive at the scene, with a uniform TasWater contractor who was passing by stuck on hold with the company for nearly half an hour to try and alert them to the issue.
TasWater say around 10 businesses between Murray and Harrington Streets are now without water while they undertake repairs to the burst 150mm water main over the next four to five hours.
They say they will work with the businesses impacted “to understand the impact and help where we can”.
Earlier: A burst water main has sent a torrent of dirty brown water gushing into the streets of Hobart’s city centre this afternoon.
The pipe burst on Liverpool Street near the intersection with Murray Street around 11:30am on Thursday.
Large volumes of water have inundated the footpath at intersection, with police asking motorists to avoid the area.
Officers have cordoned off the impacted section of footpath to pedestrians and are blocking the right-lane of Liverpool Street to vehicles.
One newly-renovated business on Liverpool Street next to the entrance to In The Hanging Garden has been affected by the water.
Images taken by Pulse show the floor submerged underwater, while staff from neighbouring businesses armed with brooms attempt to keep their stores from flooding.
One shop owner told Pulse that a similar flooding incident has happened before, with a pipe bursting in the same spot in 2023.
TasWater crews are yet to arrive on the scene, despite a subcontractor in uniform spending over half an hour trying to contact the company.
The subcontractor has reportedly been left on hold with TasWater representatives over the phone in an attempt to get them to shut off the water supply.
More than half an hour after the initial burst, the water is still running.
TasWater’s operations centre has been contacted for comment.
More to come…
