Residents evacuated as water main bursts at Kingswood

More than a million litres of water mixed with sewage flooded a suburb in Sydney’s west today. Water and power was cut off at homes and businesses in Kingswood as the burst water main also caused significant damage to roads and forced evacuations.

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Two hospitals and thousands of homes in Western Sydney had their water cut off after a water main burst and sent a deluge of sewage through a residential neighbourhood.

More than a million litres of water mixed with sewage flooded Kingswood, near Penrith, after a water main on Bringelly Rd burst at 7.15am on Saturday, according to Fire and Rescue NSW.

Nepean Hospital, Nepean Private Hospital and thousands of homes went without running water for much of Saturday, most of which had their services restored.

Residents flee a unit block in Bringelly Road. Picture: TNV

Homes without running water were offered bottled water or could fill up their own containers from water tankers.

Throughout the day emergency crews evacuated 60 people, including children and the disabled, most of whom were eventually able to return to their homes.

The scene in Bringelly Rd, Kingswood today. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Emergency workers evacuate a family from home. Picture: TNV

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Residents in homes without power on Saturday night were given emergency accommodation by Sydney Water, including mother of three Selvi Berisha, 40, who will call the Mercure at Panthers home until Monday.

“I have three young children, four-year-old twin girls Violet and Jessica and a five-year-old son, Hayden,” Ms Berisha.

“Hayden suffers from anxiety so when the water started flooding in he was freaking out.

“I was trying to make light of it by saying we have a new pool out the front.”

Selvi Berisha saves what she can in her flooded townhouse. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Water flooding Selvi Berisha’s home. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The young family tried in vain to keep the water at bay with sheets, towels and pillows.

Homes in the neighbourhood had their power cut from about 7.30am to 6pm, so Ms Berisha doesn’t know whether he electricals have been ruined.

She will return home on Sunday to assess the damage but suspects her couch, TV unit, book shelf and boxes of kids’ toys stored in the garage have all been damaged.

Sydney Water and SES crews try to deal with a burst water main in Kingswood. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Sydney Water crews try to fix the burst water main. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Sydney Water will clean her home on Sunday but their emergency accommodation did not extend to a glass of wine on Saturday night.

“Several properties have confirmed internal damage,” a Sydney Water spokesman said.

“Sydney Water sincerely apologises to affected customers and thanks them for their patience.”

More than a million litres of floodwater spewed from the broken main. Picture: Sky News Australia

Bringelly Rd has cracked and crumbled and was declared structurally unsound.

Police and firefighters were still in Kingswood helping residents on Saturday night.

“One of the problems with a major break in a main of this size is if it’s shut down too fast, that’ll cause pressure to build in pipes in other locations, so it’s got to be done very slowly so there’s no worsening of the situation,” Fire and Rescue NSW Duty Commander Kernin Lambert said.

Originally published as Residents evacuated as water main bursts at Kingswood