STANDING GUARD: Helen Karrasch and her dog Molly watch as the flood moves closer to her Woodward Street property yesterday. Photo: NADINE MORTON
TRAFFIC was disrupted yesterday as a burst water main in Woodward Street forced the partial closure of the road for most of the day.
Council crews were called to the site at 1pm after a 300 millimetre trunk main burst sending tens of thousands of litres of water gushing towards Summer Street.
Front yards of a number of properties were flooded as residents watched the unfolding flood from their verandah.
Woodward Street resident Helen Karrasch said she was watching the Queensland floods on television when she spotted a flood in her own street.
“I was watching the floods in Brisbane and was concerned about family back there and I then looked out [my window] and thought oh my gosh,” she said.
Council spokesperson Allan Reeder said the burst water main was made out of fibro but there are no asbestos health risks to residents.
“It’s one of the old fibro water mains of which there are many around Orange,” he said.
“The chance of the fibres getting into the atmosphere are not there.
“It’s a very stable material when it’s wet and there’s no health risks to people’s drinking water.”
By late yesterday council crews had isolated the main and diverted water around the broken section of pipe.
Mr Reeder said work would be conducted throughout the night to fix the water main and allow the road to be fully reopened.
At the time of print Mr Reeder said there had been no damage to properties due to yesterday’s flooded road.