Busselton residents "terrified" by rising water levels in the Lower Vasse River this week went to investigate the cause and found a culvert located along Chapman Hill Road had been tampered with.
The culvert was installed as part of the Vasse Diversion Drain upgrade, when closed it stops water flowing into the Lower Vasse River.
Residents had noticed the river flowing quickly but there was no where for the water to escape causing the water to rise quickly edging close to properties located on Isaacs Street in Busselton.
Resident Jill Walsh said she was awake at 1am on Monday morning checking to see if they would be knee deep in water in their home.
"Given that this is like a bath with a plug in one end and a tap in the other there is no reason why the river should flood if it was governed properly," she said.
"We went and checked and realised chains had been cut up at the culvert on purpose.
"Some vandal has gone and cut the chains and turned the valves on full blast without realising there is a plug in the other end and nowhere for the water to go.
"They let water into the river but there was nowhere for the water to go, because there are high tides the floodgates at Wonnerup are tightly shut.
"Imagine a bath with a plug in it and you turned the taps on full blast and walked away.
"It was frightening, really really frightening.
"Our life is in our house and we are terrified, I put things up high and virtually packed my house up because we were worried we were going to get flooded."
Resident Jill Erridge has been living beside the river since 2009 and had never seen the water levels so high in the river before.
"I was concerned what would happen if more rain came," she said.
Residents notified authorities who confirmed that a locked chain on a penstock (sluice or gate) was tampered with and reported the incident to police.
Water Corporation South West regional manager Nicola Waite said both the Water Corporation and Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) attended and the open penstock was closed.
"The locked chain, which was interfered with, was an interim measure until contractors install additional security," she said.
"The locked chain was an interim project measure as the Vasse drainage project is nearing completion and contractors are installing additional security.
"This type of criminal vandalism has not occurred before in the decades that the Vasse drainage system has been operating.
"The crime was reported to police and anyone found interfering with or vandalising Water Corporation infrastructure will be prosecuted."
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Ms Waite said Water Corporation took any criminal and illegal interference with, or vandalism of, its infrastructure very seriously.
"The incident was immediately reported to police. Anyone found to be interfering with or criminally vandalising Water Corporation infrastructure will be prosecuted."
Police are urging anyone acting suspiciously in the area around 4pm Sunday, August 8, 2021 is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au
