A widespread and largely unexplained water outage across the Lower Clarence has left thousands without access to water, with some residents still affected hours later.
The outage, which spans from Maclean to Taloumbi, began around 11pm last night. Many residents only discovered the issue when they woke to find dry taps and no communication from Clarence Valley Council. Desperate for answers, locals flooded the council’s after-hours emergency line but were given little more than a vague explanation stating there had been a "major issue" in Maclean.
While some households saw water return between 7am and 8am, many have reported that the water is discoloured or completely unusable. Others are still waiting for supply to be restored.
Major services and businesses in the area have also been impacted, including those relying on water for food preparation, health services, and daily operations.
Despite the scale of the disruption, Clarence Valley Council has yet to issue a public update or provide any details on the cause or a timeline for restoration.
In a region where residents expect clear communication during disruptions, the silence has sparked growing frustration.