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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-03-22 Daily Xml
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SA Water Infrastructure

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:08): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister responsible for SA Water and the environment a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: We have seen a very hairy-chested minister in the last couple of weeks when it comes to denying negligence on behalf of SA Water for a large number of victims in the Paradise and surrounding areas regarding mains water bursts. The minister said that they had their own private insurance and that they should go and see their own private insurance companies.

The reality is that now Mr Ringham has admitted, belatedly, that there was negligence on behalf of SA Water and that those victims, not customers, have had an horrendous time. My questions therefore are:

1. Will the minister look at bringing in his own legislation to better protect victims when victims are flooded and have property damage, or will he look at supporting the bill that I am about to table?

2. Has he gone out there to apologise to those people now that clear evidence has come forward that they are victims?

3. If these people, as victims, were having to go to private insurance companies rather than offset the balance sheet bottom line of SA Water, as the minister always expresses concern when I ask the question, does the minister agree that all insurance payers in this state would be unfairly treated, because obviously if there are costs in claims they go on to the assessments for premium costs for all insurance payers?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for his question. On 7 March 2016, there were four bursts which occurred on a 450-millimetre cast-iron water main in the north-eastern suburbs: two in Campbelltown, one in Paradise and one in Newton. While bursts on a mains network stretching over 27,000 kilometres (I think the update is now) are of course unavoidable, these incidents are stressful times for those whose homes are impacted and whose lives are inconvenienced.

I am advised that, in total, approximately 40 properties were affected, with seven having experienced internal flooding (all of which were located at Willow Drive). I am further advised that two vehicles located in Willow Drive were also damaged by the burst. Our immediate focus was on assisting affected property owners with their immediate needs and ensuring repairs to the network were completed as a matter of priority.

SA Water's alliance partner, Allwater, is contracted to maintain the metropolitan network and had staff on site on the night of 7 March to offer temporary accommodation to affected customers. All residents were able to arrange temporary accommodation, I am advised, with family and friends, except for residents of one property, who had temporary accommodation arranged by Allwater at their request. Five Allwater crews were dispatched to the burst, with four remaining on site to carry out repairs—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: The honourable member says that it takes five minutes to answer the question. As the Hon. Mr Dawkins just said, it took him five minutes to ask the question. Of course, it is a very serious question and it deserves a very serious response. Honourable members opposite would do well to listen in silence.

Five Allwater crews were dispatched to the burst, with four remaining on site to carry out repairs. All known bursts were repaired by Thursday 10 March. I am advised that cleaners arrived on-site at approximately 7pm on 7 March to commence the clean up of the affected properties. Cleaners have since undertaken initial clean-up work, with more to be carried out. Approximately 40 customers' supply was affected and impacted during the repairs carried out on Tuesday 8 March on Clairville Road, Campbelltown, and cartons of water were delivered to each affected customer, I am advised.

SA Water's customer liaison staff were on-site and doorknocking the affected area on 8, 9 and 10 March and again on the 17th, making contact with customers to ensure they were being provided with information and assistance as required. SA Water is committed to working with customers and their insurance companies on a case-by-case basis to ensure that temporary accommodation meets the needs of each individual. In addition, as I have said, cleaners have been organised to clean up affected properties.

As I have told the chamber previously, I visited Willow Drive on 8 March to inspect the site and meet with affected property owners, and have indicated that the state government and SA Water will work with them and their insurers to ensure that they are provided with every possible assistance. Residents of one property indicated concerns about the timeliness of their insurer's response, and I was very pleased to be able to assist them to have that matter expedited. SA Water's customer liaison team will continue to work with customers and insurers to ensure that repairs are progressed as quickly as possible and temporary accommodation is offered where required.

We appreciate that failures in water mains can be frustrating; however, in reality, South Australia's water main failure rates are below ESCOSA standards, compare favourably with interstate counterparts and, despite the sensationalised claims from occasional members of the chamber, are relatively stable.

I am advised that over a 10-year period, failures averaged 3,952 per year and, over a 15-year period average, 4,063 per year. For December 2015, I am advised that there were 140 failures. This is on par with the 25-year average of 139 failures for the month of December. For January 2016, there were 146 failures. This is down on the 25-year average of 179 failures for the month of January.

Between 2011-12 and 2014-15, SA Water spent, on average, $51.4 million a year on direct routine maintenance and repairs in addition to an average investment of over $300 million a year on the renewal and upgrade of its pipe networks, treatment plants, water storages and other related infrastructure. I could go on with quite a bit more, but I am sure the chamber has heard some of this previously. If they do want me to, I can come back with further information.

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