Oh no! Flooded again
CLARENCE Valley Council has denied it mismanaged floodgates and pumps on Thursday night as the downpour inundated several homes in Kent St, Grafton.
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CLARENCE Valley Council has denied it mismanaged floodgates and pumps on Thursday night as the downpour inundated several homes in Kent St, Grafton.
Resident Linda Burley blamed the council for not acting quickly enough to close penstocks and then failing to activate pumps.
"If they had their act together we wouldn't get water in the house," she said.
The downstairs area of Ms Burley's home, on the western side of Kent St was also flooded in May 2009, and the gully behind the home is known as one of the first places to fill up when the area is closed off from the town's 11 stormwater outlets.
She said she has lost thousands of dollars worth of items, including a mower and tools and has called on council to pay her insurance excess.
"I know I was getting river and storm water through my house and they took too long to start the pumps."
Nearby resident Nathan Kendell echoed Ms Burley's sentiments, saying the closing of penstocks and the turning on of pumps should go hand in hand.
Another Kent St resident, who asked not to be named, called for an alarm system to help council better respond to river heights.
But CVC manager of operations Tim Jenkins said it was the sheer volume of local rainfall to blame for the local flooding, not council inaction.
Mr Jenkins said penstocks were closed mid-morning on Thursday when the river was about three metres AHD.
"We start closing penstocks generally when the river is between 2.4 and 3 metres," Mr Jenkins said.
He said 13 staff were called in for the day and two submerged pumps in Pound St were put to action before a third one was introduced.
Another portable pump was used in Bacon St, he said.
"I believe we acted quickly enough."
Mr Jenkins denied reports that several pumps had broken down.
"We are hoping the river drops enough to open up the penstocks tomorrow."
Originally published as Oh no! Flooded again
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