TasWater fixing water mains on Liverpool and Murray Streets

Burst water mains on two busy Hobart streets will hopefully soon be a thing of the past after TasWater announced infrastructure upgrades.

Work to repair the burst water main outside Liverpool Street business Boutique Brows Body & Skin. Picture: supplied.

Two 80-year-old water mains in Hobart’s CBD will be fixed after bursting water mains damaged road infrastructure and flooding businesses, TasWater says.

This comes after major bursts on Liverpool and Murray streets in late 2024 and this month.

TasWater acting general manager project delivery Tim Cubit said they were moving swiftly to rectify the issue following business and community frustration.

Water from the burst water main flooded Liverpool Street between Harrington and Murray Street. Picture: supplied.

“The first burst caused damage to the road surface and flooded nearby businesses before bursting again a few days later only 12 metres from the first repair,” Mr Cubit said.

He blamed ageing water and sewage infrastructure, saying it dated back decades and as far back as the 1940s.

Mr Cubit said work had begun at the city centre site and was expected to take around three months to complete.

To reduce impacts to traffic and the community, he confirmed those works, and other renewal to be completed simultaneously, will be undertaken at night.

“There will be some disruption to motorists during the day as the area will need to be secured, but we are hoping it will only be minimal,” he said.

Work to repair the burst water main outside Liverpool Street business Boutique Brows Body & Skin. Picture: supplied.

The work sites are on Liverpool St between Harrington and Murray streets and on Murray Street between Collins and Liverpool streets. Both repairs require a 150mm main section to be replaced.

Mr Cubit said the work could also include the removal of redundant assets, connections, renewal of water meters, the installation of new valves and the relocation of others to better suit ongoing operational work.

TasWater is set to plug $1.9 billion in its network over the next five years.

Originally published as TasWater fixing water mains on Liverpool and Murray Streets