Blame game for Mira Mar landslides continues as petition is launched

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Residents have started a petition asking the WA Minister of Water to take responsibility for a landslide that severely damaged properties in Albany.

Key points: A petition calling on the Water Corporation of WA and the Minister of Water to take responsibility for a landslide in a suburb of Albany has started circulating.

The development comes as the state’s Water Corporation has said a burst water pipe is not to blame for a landslide.

A hill in the seaside suburb of Mira Mar has fallen several meters in recent months, prompting evacuation orders on six properties off Sleeman Avenue and Anzac Road.

As a result, five houses were abandoned.

Authorities believe the landslide was caused by a combination of heavy winter rains on the south coast and clay soils on the slope.

However, some residents believe a mainline rupture on Sleeman Avenue on July 30 triggered the landslide.

Anthony Kingston’s mother, Jane Kingston, was forced to leave her Anzac Road property after a building notice was issued by the city of Albany warning of a potential catastrophic landslide.

Residents blame ruptured water pipe

Mr Kingston has started an online petition calling on WA Water Minister Dave Kelly to take responsibility for the incident.

Anthony Kingston with his daughter Indra who can no longer visit her mother’s house in Mira Mar. (Provided: Anthony Kingston)

“The pipe burst and the three houses immediately began to collapse above them, and as these houses collapsed, the ground began to slide down the hill towards the low houses,” he said. he declared.

“The residents received no support, the Water Corporation took no responsibility for the problem.

“My mother came over one day, extremely upset, saying she didn’t want the grandchildren to come to the house anymore.”

Other Anzac Road residents echoed Mr Kingston’s comments and said their home insurance did not cover natural landslides, which left their properties worthless.

Water Corporation refuted the claim, citing movement records on Sleeman Avenue dating back to 2013.

A landslide may have caused a pipe rupture

Water Corporation Great Southern regional manager Adrian Stewart said the bursting water pipe released between 70,000 and 140,000 liters, but winter precipitation of 400 millimeters in the suburb dumped 2.7 million liters in recent months.

Mr Stewart said the water line was repaired within hours. Investigations are continuing, but Mr. Stewart believes the subsurface sliding down the hillside may have caused the rupture.

The landslide began near Sleeman Avenue. (ABC Great Southern: John Dobson)

“Early observations suggest record rainfall between April and September this year, including a severe storm in Albany in late June [that] saturated soils in the region, ”he said.

“[This] appears to have contributed to significant land movements near Sleeman Avenue. “

Water pumps continue to draw water from the ground along Sleeman Avenue.

The landslide sparked a bureaucratic debate over which agency should take responsibility.

In October, the state government commissioned a geotechnical report on the area which followed several reports commissioned by the city of Albany and the Water Corporation. The first reports have not been made public.

Water Minister Dave Kelly said the Water Corporation had informed him that it was “not responsible for the landslide in Mira Mar”.

“The Water Corporation continues to work with affected residents and the city of Albany, and has provided assistance to support the dewatering efforts,” he said.

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