ORANGE City Council is yet to determine who will foot the bill for a broken water main at Sir Jack Brabham Park after a crew member of the Great Moscow Circus ruptured it with a tent peg.
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The peg is believed to have ruptured a 375mm water main when one of the circus tents was being erected two weeks ago, however, the damage was not detected until the peg was removed when the tent was being pulled down yesterday morning.
Council staff were called to the scene a short time after the leak was detected to turn off the water supply.
Council spokesman Allan Reeder said it was too early to assess the damage at the site or the cost of repairs.
“The circus already pays the council a fee together with a bond for the hire of the northern section of Sir Jack Brabham Park,” Mr Reeder said.
“The council is reviewing whether the circus will be charged for the repairs.”
Mr Reeder said repairs were completed by 2.45pm yesterday after council shut down an isolated section of the main so businesses and residences in the area would not be affected.
He said preliminary observations by repair crews suggest “a fairly tight seal” had been formed when the tent peg initially broke into the pipe two weeks ago.
Mr Reeder said while there had been rain in the area since then, there had been no signs of water leakage.
“The water broke through this morning when the tent peg was pulled out,” he said.
Circus general manager Greg Hall said his team was calling the area Lake Brabham as a result of the water flow, which may delay the circus’ departure from the site until today or tomorrow.
“I just don’t know how we’ll get out,” he said.
“The tents are down and now I’m worried about getting the trucks out without getting bogged.
“I’m also worried about the [state of] ground.”
Mr Hall said he hoped council would not ask the circus to cover the cost of repairs to the site.