Funding boost to fix ageing Patawalonga infrastructure, prevent future flood damage
There are fears thousands of homes, and the Adelaide Airport, could be flooded because of ageing infrastructure, but an upgrade in the Budget aims to fix it.
SA News
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Concerns that 11,000 properties could be flooded has prompted a $7m upgrade of ageing infrastructure in Adelaide’s western suburbs and near the airport.
Tuesday’s State Budget will include $7m to upgrade the Patawalonga System, which is designed to divert urban stormwater to the sea via the Barcoo Outlet and use Gulf St Vincent tides to flush the lake with seawater. The funding will be used to replace eight gates at the southern end of the system that are coming to the end of their design life.
The gates enable water levels to be managed, however, there are fears the ageing infrastructure could become a public safety risk if nothing is done.
Environment Minister David Speirs said the upgrades would better protect households in the western suburbs.
“This upgrade will mean more than 23,000 people living in the western suburbs, as well as key bits of infrastructure such as the Adelaide Airport, will be better protected against potential flood events,” he said. “In a worst-case-scenario flood event, more than 11,000 households and more than 400 commercial and industrial buildings could be impacted with a potential damage bill in the billions of dollars, not to mention the risk to public safety.”
In 2003, heavy rainfall and a malfunction in the weir resulted in the Patawalonga breaking its banks at Glenelg North and flooding about 160 homes.