'Third-world conditions': Aussie tenants forced to drink water from bird bath after the taps ran dry at their dilapidated public housing complex

By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 12:14, 19 July 2026 | Updated: 12:16, 19 July 2026 Fed up social housing residents have called out the government for forcing them to live in 'third world' conditions after their taps ran dry. The 13 residents of the apartment blocks on Lefroy Rd in Beaconsfield, southeast Perth, have reported issues with water pressure for the last month. However, the little water available completely disappeared on Friday when a water pipe burst. Since then, the only water source the residents have access to is a single outdoor tap. Several people with serious health conditions and children live in the buildings. 'They're leaving their tenants in animal like conditions, third world conditions. They must have some legal obligation to relocate people,' Laurence Mather told 9News. The lack of running water means occupants are unable to flush their toilets, shower, clean dishes or clothes, or easily access drinking water.  Mr Mather claimed when the pipe first broke, about 5am on Friday, he left his home and found one resident desperately drinking from a bird bath, less than two weeks after the WA Government found a seabird likely died of bird flu in north Perth. More than a dozen people have been forced to rely on a single outdoor tap for running water at a public housing block in southeast Perth Resident Laurence Mather (above) said he and his neighbours were facing 'third world conditions' Ian Fegan described the situation as a 'living hell'.  'I mean, I feel sorry for the kids,' he said. 'Everyone's starting to smell and all that.' The WA Government said a water pressure issue at the building was fixed earlier this week and contractors attended again on Saturday to investigate further complications. The social housing on Lefroy Street is set to be demolished next year as part of a redevelopment plan for the area. Mr Mather, Mr Fegan and many other residents have called for the government to provide emergency accommodation while water issue is fixed. Premier Roger Cook on Sunday apologised for the 'inconvenience' but said the residents would not be moved. 'We apologise for those people who are inconvenienced by this situation,' he said, The West reported. WA Premier Roger Cook (above) denied the residents' request to be moved to emergency accomodation while labelling the situation an 'inconvenience' 'We have teams on the ground, and they will resolve the situation as quickly as possible.' When pressed further, Cook repeated: 'We apologise for the inconvenience for these tenants, and that's why we've got teams on the ground. 'It's an older piece of infrastructure.  'The initial investigation revealed that there's probably some bigger infrastructure issues there around leakage and we'll address it as quickly as possible.'  Opposition leader Basil Zempilas said Cook should be 'ashamed' of his response to the growing health crisis.  'For him to call conditions in government-owned social housing where people are without reliable water and drinking from a bird bath an 'inconvenience' shows just how out of touch he is,' he said. 'It's not an inconvenience, it's a complete failure of basic human dignity. 'These residents shouldn't have to beg for the most basic necessities. The Premier's response showed a staggering lack of empathy.  'Instead of downplaying what these people have endured, he should be apologising for the government's failure to fix the problem before it reached this point.'