At least a month before shoddy footpath is repaired

BY ALEX MCDONALD
A potentially dangerous water problem on an already uneven footpath at Alexandra Road has Glebe residents concerned.
A subcontractor for Energy Australia struck a natural spring while installing a new power pole, underground cables and a small substation earlier this month.
Council told a concerned resident the seeping water was caused by “a water table problem”.
“But I’ve never had a water table problem in 16 years,” the resident told The City News.
Energy Australia first received a complaint about the slippery footpath on September 3.
“Safety of the community is a priority for us,” a spokeswoman for Energy Australia said last Friday. “We will visit the site again today.”
Although the subcontractor’s first attempt to repair the footpath was unsuccessful, Energy Australia has said it would be between four and six weeks before the footpath was completely restored.
An Alexandra Road resident who called council was told that hers was not the first complaint about the contractor responsible for the work.
A council spokesman said in a statement: “We understand that both Sydney Water and Energy Australia have recently carried out works on this road… City officers have brought the water leak to the attention of Energy Australia.”
Energy Australia was not aware of any complaints against the contractor, Subakette, who work on various projects across the city on the energy provider’s behalf.
“We found them to be a good contractor,” the spokeswoman said. “We often engage them to do work for us.”
Energy Australia said some disruption is unavoidable, particularly in small streets in high-density areas.
“From our perspective it’s just the nature of the area,” the spokeswoman said.