On the 21st October, a supply utility United Energy (UE) transformer failed in the area which resulted in power failing throughout Merricks Beach and Balnarring Beach affecting 860 users.
After power supply was re-instated, UE sent out an SMS advising:
If your power is still out and you’ve checked your switchboard, let us know on 132 099.
Upon checking our switchboard, I found that one of the outgoing circuit breakers had tripped open, so I reset it. However, three days later, we found that our South East Water (SEW) sewerage system was not working and water was discharging from the main tank into the garden. SEW immediately sent technicians to rectify the situation. They found that the discharge pump controller was not functioning as the internal fuses were blown, potentially due to the earlier transformer fault producing an over voltage. A change over controller was installed and the system began operating.
1) In view of the fault, house owners in the area should immediately check that their sewerage pump is running.
2) The SEW technicians advised that power must not be removed from the pump for long periods. In particular, many owners of holiday houses with this type of sewerage installed, may isolate supply when departing to return their residential homes. This, in turn, results the sewerage pump not being in service and thus the sewer can/will overflow.
Grattan Fitzgerald