Drain Safety

axel · 16 Aug 2012, 3:54 pm

Went exploring a bit in marrickville today and found a drain which is an old brick canal that has been covered over.in this section there is alot of power cables along the wall in conduits (some not) ,and further in where the water starts to cover the canal floor completely, some are unmounted and submerged.
Does anyone know:
1. Why is there electricity in a drain at all?
And 2. If the cable was live and also broken, would you get zapped from the water or is it already grounded?
hoping someone who knows the area might have some insight.

Nuggs · 16 Aug 2012, 8:48 pm

Power cables running along inside drains are usually old relics, and most are abandoned now. It was a lot less expensive (though unsafe) to run them through there, rather than dig up the road again.
Also, they could be comms cables, which is still quite common. Older comms cables can be covered in steel shielding and covered in a tar like substance somewhat resembling power cables.

If live electricity conductors are exposed to earth, there is a danger of a step-potential situation causing the floor (water included) or walls of the area to become live, and can be deadly.

Panic! · 16 Aug 2012, 9:38 pm

That sounds like Rockytop. Yeah, cables in drains are not common, but they happen. Usually they are placed out of reach of most floods. The thing is, by the time the water reaches them, electrocution will only add the the problems you face from drowning and impact with solid objects.
So yeah, try not to touch them in the mean time eh?

axel · 17 Aug 2012, 11:03 pm

Ok thanks guys.
Some of the cables are relatively new 2/3 phase power so maybe just a dodgy install from the factories above.
I'm pretty sure it's not rocky top, I think it's between there and the loaf. Heaps of debris everywhere and past the water it may have some build up or blockage, can't be sure, it's too far away.