Dry Creek floods footbridge near primary school at Mawson Lakes

Only the handrails of a footbridge near a primary school at Mawson Lakes could be seen following torrential rain. Watch the video.

A footbridge frequented by primary school students was inundated by floodwater during Monday’s torrential downpour renewing calls for urgent action to upgrade it, and staggering claims from the council responsible.

The bridge, across Dry Creek and connecting Mawson Lakes’ two school campuses, was just one of a number of roads flooded.

But Salisbury Council says the suburb, which is built on swampland, “will not flood in major events” once it completes a stormwater management plan set to be finalised by the end of the year.

“Council … is confirming Mawson Lakes will not flood in major events,” council chief executive John Harry said.

Photos of the bridge showed only handrails not submerged by rising rainwater from Dry Creek Reserve.

A bridge at Mawson Lakes connecting two school campuses is engulfed in water amid Monday's torrential downpour. Picture: Supplied

Parent Bill Monks said the bridge would “be underwater six times a year” and said a child was once “nearly swept away”.

“It’s not exactly life threatening but it’s a hazard that needs to be better managed during flood times,” he said.

Mr Monks said after Monday’s downpour the footbridge — as well as a nearby road bridge — was closed by floodwater.

“The rain had been so fierce the road crossing was also a foot underwater,” he said.

“If you’re on the other side of Mawson Lakes, not having access probably adds an extra half an hour to your trip.”

He said limited vehicle access to some parts of the school further complicated the issue.

Council was allocated funding to upgrade the bridge in September 2020 after the issue was first raised in 2018.

But nothing has happened since.

Councillor Beau Brug, who has advocated for the bridge’s upgrade since 2018, said when it flooded it added 30 minutes to get get access to the other side.

A Mawson Lakes road regularly engulfed in water during heavy rain. Picture: Supplied

An online post by Mawson Lakes Primary School principal David Cowles hinted at safety concerns.

“We do not encourage students to cross the (footbridge) by themselves,” he wrote.

A timeline for design and costing of the bridge was set at no later than October 2020 and $600,000, split between the council and state government, was agreed to be committed to the upgrade.

Local Labor MP Michael Brown said since coming into power the government had committed a further $100,000 to the upgrade.

Four years after safety issues at the bridge were first raised, a timeline has emerged for its completion.

It is understood the bridge is expected to be completed by March 2023, but Mr Brug wants to see it done sooner.

“I want the bridge to be built as soon as possible – safety of our community is so important,” he said.

An Education Department spokeswoman did not answer a question about if any students had reported being injured on the bridge but said no incidents involving students were reported on Monday.