Work starts to replace 100-year-old water pipes on Beaufort Street
Vital upgrades to 100-year-old water mains on Beaufort Street will start next week to bolster supply reliability for residents and businesses along the bustling café strip.
From April 26, Water Corporation will replace 2.1 kilometres of water pipe between Walcott Street in Mount Lawley and Dundas Road in Inglewood as part of its Pipes for Perth Program.
Since 2016, Pipes for Perth has replaced more than 200 kilometres of water main across the metropolitan area, with more than $46 million spent replacing ageing pipes in Perth in 2020-21 alone.
Water Corporation General Manager Assets Planning and Delivery Evan Hambleton said the essential project would help ensure continued supply reliability to homes and businesses in the area.
“Water mains generally have a long lifespan, however, there does come a point where they need to be replaced,” Mr Hambleton said.
“Many of the pipes in and around Beaufort Street were installed in 1915, making them more than 100 years old.
“This kind of proactive renewals work is incredibly important in reducing the potential for future leaks and breaks and maintaining reliable water supply to local homes and businesses.
“Beaufort Street is already a popular cultural, dining and entertainment precinct, so it’s essential that infrastructure in the area is reliable and capable of supporting future growth.”
Water Corporation has worked closely with the City of Stirling, residents, and businesses to carefully plan and design a program of works to reduce impact to customers as much as possible.
Works will be completed in three stages by Subiaco contractor Civcon, with each stage lasting approximately eight weeks.
- Stage One: Walcott Street to First Avenue
- Stage Two: First Avenue to Central Avenue
- Stage Three: Central Avenue to Dundas Road.
During construction, Beaufort Street northbound will be closed within each stage area, with traffic management and detours in place. Pedestrian access to businesses will remain open, and there will be no impact to water supply.
Mr Hambleton acknowledged works would cause temporary disruption but said every effort would be made to reduce impacts and support local businesses.
“We know projects like this can be disruptive and would like to reassure residents and business owners that we’ll be working hard to complete works in the shortest timeframe possible,” he said.
“While one section of Beaufort Street will be closed, footpaths will remain open and there is ample parking along the route, so we encourage people to continue supporting local businesses.
“We’ll also be providing individual support to businesses in the area through a dedicated Community Liaison Officer appointed by our contractor.
“We’d like to thank residents and businesses in advance for their patience and look forward to working with the community throughout the project.”
Business support is available, and storeowners are invited to contact Civcon Community Liaison Officer Claire Truscott on 0448 551 679 or BeaufortStreet@civconwa.com.au to find out more.
The project is expected to be complete in late 2022. Further information and details on road closures can be found at https://yoursay.watercorporation.com.au/beaufort-street
Media contact:
Water Corporation Media Team
P: (08) 9420 2555
E: media@watercorporation.com.au
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Stage One Traffic Impacts:
