Massive sinkhole opens up in Selly Oak following burst water main
A large sinkhole has opened up in Harborne Lane after a water main burst and flooded Selly Oak, Birmingham.
Gallons of water escaped from a broken pipe causing surrounding areas to close yesterday afternoon.
The torrent was so strong that part of the central reservation on Harbone Lane collapsed under the weight of the water and there are now fears the traffic island could sink too.
A number of houses were flooded and insurers have been making door-to-door visits to assess the damage.
Some people were unable to reach their homes, buses had to be diverted, school runs were delayed and there was a rush- hour traffic log-jam.
The ongoing problems affected roads throughout the area, causing congestion as far away as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital campus.
Engineers worked to stem the flow but it showed little sign of ceasing as darkness fell, with concerns that rain might add to the problem.
Severn Trent Water said that the burst main was a 42-inch diameter pipe which serves 200,000 homes, and that they could not estimate how long repairs will take.
The water company said that nobody had lost water supply during the chaos because of failsafe measures.
Severn Trent staff are in place manning traffic lights during today’s morning and evening rush hours.
They said: "We’ve worked hard overnight to open up the new roundabout with traffic lights so that people can get round onto the A38, and also Gibbins Road.
"We’re hoping that by mid-morning today we’ll be able to open up Harborne Lane further - up to Reservoir Road so that people can go that way too.
"We don’t think that there’s been any impact on customers’ water supply as a result of the burst, but customers may have had some poor pressure or discoloured water and if you do this is what you should do," they continued.
"Discoloured water can happen in events like this when water is moving through the pipe network much faster than normal and disturbing the harmless sediment that can sit at the bottom of the pipe.
"Although unappealing, we have no reason to believe there is any risk to your health, however we understand that If you do experience discoloured water, while the supply is discoloured you may choose not to drink the water.
"To help us as well as yourself in resolving this problem, we’d advise that you run the first mains fed cold water tap in your house, normally at the kitchen sink, at a gentle rate for up to 20 minutes.
"If the supply is not clear then turn off the tap for 20 minutes and then repeat the process, you may need to do this several times before the supply is clear."