Saving...
29 September, 2016 9:00
Queensland Urban Utilities has carried out a full review into the water flow issues reported at the fire in Warmington St, Paddington on Sunday, September 4.
We’ve been working with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) to understand what happened and we are keen to provide the community with information.
A key finding is that independent fire hydrant testing confirmed all hydrants used during the fire exceeded the minimum flow requirements under the Department of Energy and Water Supply (DEWS) Planning Guidelines for Water Supply and Sewerage.
The testing showed each of the individual hydrants delivered 15 litres per second or above, which exceeds the required minimum flow of 15 litres per second combined across two hydrants.
There has been speculation regarding the age of the pipes, suggesting this may have played a part in any water flow issues experienced. The water main in question was re-lined with cement in the 1960s to prevent mineral deposit build-up, so mineral build-up and the age of the pipes were not contributing factors in this incident.
Water was maintained to the street at all times, with an estimated 350,000 litres of water – the equivalent of around seven backyard swimming pools – provided via the water network for fighting the fire.
It’s important to note that water pressure in the suburb of Paddington exceeds the minimum of 210kPa under the DEWS Planning Guidelines. Water pressure in Warmington St ranges from 460 to 630kPa due to the elevation of the Green Hill zone reservoir.
The burst water main, which was reported just before 8 o’clock on Latrobe Tce on the morning of the fire, did not hamper fire-fighting efforts as it happened after the fire was contained.
During the burst water main repairs, a valve on Latrobe Tce near the corner of Warmington St was found to be closed. Valves are operated for a number of reasons including maintenance and water main upgrades.
Importantly, the independent fire hydrant testing confirmed that the hydrants exceeded the minimum flow requirements under the DEWS Planning Guidelines, both with the valve opened and closed.
We manage a complex, pressurised 9000km pipe network which contains around 70,000 valves.
We also have a dedicated QFES 24-hour hotline so, if called, we can respond and actively manage the network during a fire. We work closely with QFES on the ground and do what we can to optimise the water available to fire fighters when required.
After receiving the call from QFES on the morning of the fire, our crew was despatched immediately, however QFES advised they were already accessing adequate water supply when our crew arrived.
When dealing with a fire of this size and intensity, involving timber homes in close proximity, drawing a large enough volume of water will always be challenging.
Fire crews accessed water supply from hydrants on Warmington St, Latrobe Tce, Terrace St and Alma St, as well as a hydrant at a nearby shopping centre.
Our crew remained at the scene until the fire was out, in case QFES required any assistance.
Following this incident, we’ll continue to provide ongoing cooperation and support to QFES in its firefighting activities. Our rolling maintenance program will also continue to ensure hydrants are easily identified, accessible and in good working order.