Water services were cut to more than 80 per cent of Douglas residents and businesses for about an hour after workers at Port Douglas Road works breached an air valve on a water main beneath the site at about 3pm today. 

Douglas Shire Council workers responded promptly and repaired the valve, restoring water services to the area at about 4pm. 

Council Water and Waste Manager, Wouter Van der Merwe, said council workers were to be commended for their fast and effective repairs.

“Council was notified just after 3pm today that a water main was damaged by a contractor just out the front of the fire brigade during roadworks on Port Douglas Rd which resulted in a loss of water for up to 80 per cent of users in Port Douglas,” Mr der Merwe said. 

“Council’s Water Reticulation team attended immediately to assess and repair the damage so it caused as little disruption as possible.

“Our team capped the damaged air valve and fully restored water services by 4pm.

“While it is unfortunate the contractor damaged the water main in the first instance, it was a great effort by our Water Reticulation team to have water services restored so quickly.”