Commuters are being advised to avoid Wellington Street in Perth after a burst water main caused extensive road damage and traffic chaos.

The surge of water on Tuesday caused a long rip of about 10 metres on the road in West Perth.

Water Corporation crews worked through the night to stop the flow of water but traffic has been restricted to one lane in each direction.

Police say the entire section of the road will need to be replaced.

The Water Corporation says the section of Wellington Street between Sutherland and Havelock Streets will remain closed for repairs which could take up to three days.

The corporation's Paul Noonan says it is unclear what may have caused the incident.

"We've taken a piece of the pipe out and we'll have it analysed and we'll have a look at it but at this stage it's too early to tell what the damage has been," he said.

Mr Noonan says nearby residents were without mains water until early this morning.

"We did get bottled water on site pretty quickly for residents in the area," he said.

"Also we regret of course the interruption to the traffic but that should be resolved fairly quickly, we're hoping in the next two to three days."

Drivers are asked to avoid the area or allow extra travel time.