Record dry weather impacts region’s water pipes
Our maintenance crews have been responding to an increased number of burst water mains as a result of South West Victoria’s driest weather on record.
In 2024, our teams repaired 273 bursts and leaks on water mains, valves and fire plugs across the region – 81 per cent more than in 2023.
Off the back of that record-breaking year, 2025 kicked off in similar fashion with 34 bursts reported in January – nearly double that recorded for the same period last year.
February 2025 saw 48 more bursts reported, a 12 per cent more than 2024’s high number for the same period.
General Manager Assets and Service Delivery Simon Hermans said the extremely dry conditions have led to increased ground movement, and this is impacting our pipelines.
Our assets and maintenance teams work year-round to minimise this impact, with water main renewal programs that ensure our systems remain reliable well into the future. However, the dry conditions create extra challenges.
“When it does start to rain again and the soil moisture increases, reactive soils can have the same impact on the pipes when they expand,” Mr Hermans said.
As Victoria’s second largest urban water corporation by area, our region extends from the Otways to the South Australian border, and from the Grampians to the coast.
Mr Hermans said some bursts were in remote locations with difficult access, under bitumen roadways, or in within busy shopping areas. “They can occur in poor weather conditions, and in heat, wind, rain and cold.
“They add fatigue to operators who may have already worked their eight-hour day. We follow a strict fatigue management procedure to assist in assuring the health and safety of our operators in these cases.”
He urged people to report burst mains on our 24-hour hotline 1300 926 666. You can also register your mobile number with us to receive a text message for any major outages that occur during business hours.
