Water Corporation: WA’s sewerge system left in a perilous state after years of neglect from Watercorp
According to reports, Western Australia’s Water Corporation is struggling to maintain basic service levels. A maintenance backlog of at least five years, combined with corrosion, ageing sewer and water pipelines, and emergency risks such as lead leakage from supply mains, has placed the agency under significant pressure.
An internal infrastructure report obtained by The West Australian (dating back to 2023) reveals disorder within the state’s main water supply and sewer networks. The agency has reportedly relied heavily on temporary emergency measures simply to keep the system operational.
Water Corporation has declined to disclose how many assets have failed or the total cost required for replacement.
1. Multiple Corrosion and Leakage Incidents Reveal Systemic Risks
One typical incident detailed in the report occurred in August 2021, when a pressurised sewer main on Armagh Street in Victoria Park ruptured, leaking human waste. Investigations confirmed that external corrosion was the primary cause.
As a temporary emergency measure, repair crews coated the damaged section with coal tar and wrapped the pipe with what was described as a “bandage.”
More than a year later, inspection results showed the asset was “still operational but in extremely poor condition.” The protective coating had nearly disappeared, fittings were heavily degraded, some bolts were unusable, and localised corrosion was so severe that ultrasonic testing could not be performed.
Eventually, workers welded steel plates over the leak point, but the thinnest section of pipe wall was found to be close to zero thickness. Water Corporation declined to confirm whether the pipeline has since been fully replaced.
This case was not isolated. The report lists numerous additional infrastructure failures, including:
A water main in Canning suspected of lead leakage due to corrosion at pipe joints;
A pipeline on Welwyn Avenue in Manning found to have nine severe corrosion defects, with corrosion typically extending approximately one metre along the pipe;
Another section of Welwyn Avenue pipeline showing “regularly distributed minor circumferential cracking” along its entire length;
A sewer main on Carr Street in South Perth suffering “multiple/complex fractures” and damage;
A severely damaged pipeline on Labouchere Road in Como, where “perforation damage had penetrated the entire pipe wall,” with soil visible directly through the holes.
2. Mounting Investment Pressure and Political Controversy
Internal assessments indicate that Water Corporation’s service standard allows no more than three leaks or bursts per year. However, the proportion of customers not meeting the minimum service level is rising, and repeat failures are increasing at an even faster rate.
At the time of assessment, more than 152 kilometres of pipeline repairs were backlogged, affecting thousands of customers, with delays stretching up to five years.
The report also noted that water supply problems in two streets triggered ministerial investigations. At Graylands Hospital, a supply pipeline failed 14 times, including six service interruptions within the past two years.
The five-year maintenance backlog was estimated at AUD 205.1 million, averaging roughly AUD 41 million per year, with costs expected to continue rising.
At current investment levels, the agency can barely prevent the backlog from expanding. As the network continues to age, the backlog is expected to grow further.
Water Corporation has refused to disclose the current backlog size or full replacement costs. It stated that AUD 100 million would be invested this financial year to renew ageing infrastructure in Perth and the Peel region, with a further AUD 100 million planned by 2031 to replace 44 kilometres of pipeline.
The preventative maintenance budget for the 2025–26 financial year is AUD 46 million, representing a 17% increase.
Western Australia’s Water Minister, Don Punch, said the government is making “strong and responsible investments” to ensure long-term water security.
Opposition leader Basil Zempilas criticised the government’s priorities, stating:
“In the wealthiest state in Australia, our water and sewer systems are falling apart.”
The report also revealed that hundreds of pipe hangers on the Narrows Bridge have exceeded their service life by nearly 20 years.
Inspections conducted in 2024 found that approximately 95% of these hangers require repair within five years, with 50% needing attention within three years. However, no replacement timetable has yet been established.