Water main bursts on Queen Street, CBD. Video | Supplied
A water main burst in Auckland’s CBD, causing water to gush down Queen St and develop a crack in the asphalt
A Queen St apartment resident was left exasperated after she was the only one left guarding the broken site
Major repairs are now under way, with part of Queen St being ripped up to fix the fault
An Auckland woman is furious after she was forced to guard a burst water main and direct traffic while trying to contact officials.
A large amount of water began “leaping from the ground” and pouring down Queen St yesterday afternoon after an underground water main was believed to have burst.
This morning, the leak is no longer flowing on to Queen St and major works have begun. Part of the road is being ripped up to repair the fault.
Auckland Transport has posted online that bus stop 7060, Auckland Town Hall, is closed and passengers should use stop 7054 on Wellesley St instead.
A bus stop on Auckland's Queen St has been closed due to a burst water main. Photo / Michael Craig
A video sent to the Herald showed the rupture outside the Queens Court Shopping Centre on the corner of Wakefield St near the Town Hall.
Images showed the road had cracked and ruptured in places near where the water was coming from.
Nakita Bunyan told the Herald yesterday she had been waiting at the intersection outside Aotea Square when she heard a small rumble followed by a loud bang.
The repair of the burst water main is now under way. Photo / Lachlan Rennie
“I just saw the water go straight up in the air to about the height of the Queens Food Court sign,” she said.
“The road crumbled beneath a bus and a car. The way the road moves up and down is like quicksand.”
A Watercare spokesperson said they were alerted to a water main burst at 4.52pm on the corner of Wakefield St and Queen St, outside the Civic Centre.
Images showed the water flowing down from the corner of Wakefield St and Queen St and forming a deep puddle on the corner of Wellesley St and Queen St.
“Our crews arrived at the site within the hour. They are currently working to isolate the water main and investigate its cause.
“For those experiencing low or no water pressure, a tanker will be set up on the corner of Wakefield St and Queen St to collect water from 10pm.
“We advise people to bring their own containers to collect the water. If people are experiencing discoloured water, we advise them to flush their taps until they run clear.”
Part Auckland's Queen St has been blocked following a burst water main. Photo / Michael Craig
Images showed the water flowing down from the corner of Wakefield St and Queen St and forming a deep puddle on the corner of Wellesley St and Queen St.
Bunyan later told the Herald she had coned off the affected road section because she was terrified something would happen.
“I saw a bus get stuck, its tyre was caught in the hole, it was terrifying,” she said.
An exasperated Bunyan said no one had shown up.
“I’m standing there directing traffic, I witnessed three buses after I had sectioned it off have to try and avoid traffic, and as they come on, the bus driver is wondering why they can’t move in the road.
“I was on the phone to police saying I don’t want to stand there and I’m waiting for someone to actually do something about it.
Commuters are advised of a burst water main on Auckland's Queen St on Monday morning. Photo / Michael Craig
“I called and demanded they section it off and start directing traffic because I’m not going to stop calling you until someone comes and does their job.”
Bunyan said it was not okay that no one did anything.
“I’m just a pedestrian who lives here on the corner of Queen St. I’m not qualified for this but no one else was able to help.”
In an update this morning, Watercare head of maintenance Richie Rameka said the water main burst has now been repaired.
He said water was restored to the affected properties just before 6am.
“Our teams worked well into Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning to isolate the burst and repair the four metres of the affected watermain,” he said.
A one-way detour remains in place while crews work to finish off repairs and reinstate roading surfaces.
The cause of the burst is still being investigated.
A section of Queen St is under major repairs following a burst water main, January 12. Photo / Michael Craig
David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.
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