Bellerine Street sewer works

Update 24 April: The blockage has now been cleared and we’ve packed up the site. While completing the emergency works we discovered the pipeline needs some follow-up work so we’ll be back onsite late May/early June. We’ll be in contact with local residents and businesses closer to the time, and thank them for their patience and understanding over the past weeks.

18 April: Works are continuing to clear a large sewer blockage on Bellerine Street, Geelong (between Little Myers and McKillop Streets).

To support efforts to clear the blockage and ensure sewer services continue as normal for customers, Barwon Water will carry out additional emergency works on Thursday and Friday.

Barwon Water crews and contractors have been working for over a week to dislodge the blockage which is located nearly 30 metres below the ground and has been caused by a build-up of non-flushable wet wipes, fats, sanitary items and other rubbish.

Barwon Water General Manager Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure David Snadden has thanked local residents and businesses in the works area for their understanding.

“We apologise for noise and possible odour from the use of pumps, machinery and trucks while we carry out these emergency works.

“The works are complex due to the depth of the sewer, almost 30 metres below ground, and are essential to supporting the clearing of this significant blockage.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety of the community and maintenance crews, protecting the environment whilst minimising disruption to local residents and businesses.

“We do need to keep reminding people to not flush wet wipes, fats, sanitary items and other rubbish as this causes sewer blockages that are extremely time consuming and costly to fix.”

Works will be ongoing until the blockage can be cleared.

For more information on the works please visit: www.yoursay.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/bellerine-street-sewer-works

Additional work locations and advice

Bellerine Street (between Myers and McKillop Streets)

7am Thursday 18 April - 5pm Friday 19 April, including overnight Thursday

A temporary pipeline will be laid along the nature strip on the eastern side of Bellerine Street (between Myers and McKillop Streets). Pedestrian access will be maintained to the footpath. The temporary pipeline will allow greater access to remove the blockage and to ensure services for customers remain unaffected.

Traffic management will be in place to manage altered traffic conditions including reduced speed, lane closures, detours and support for pedestrians.

Myers Street will be closed on the eastern side of the Bellerine St roundabout from 8pm Thursday night through to 6am Friday morning. To access the maternity entrance at University Hospital during this time please approach from Swanston Street.

Bellerine Street - Malop St intersection

Reduced speed limits will be in place on the south-east corner of the Bellerine and Malop St intersection to enable 24 hour monitoring of the sewer network. These changed conditions will be in place until the blockage is cleared.

Background

• On Tuesday 9 April we started emergency works to clear a large sewer blockage on Bellerine St, Geelong.
• Some flushable products have been certified as flushable but many products are not suitable for flushing. For more information on what to flush, please visit: www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/water-and-waste/sewage/dont-flush-it
• Barwon Water manages 6,866 kilometres of water, sewerage and recycled water pipes across 8,100 square kilometres.  Over the next five years we will be investing more than $104 million to renew and upgrade sewerage pipelines and associated infrastructure.