Lismore fights for upgrades to ‘abysmal’ storm water drains to stop houses flash flooding
The CSIRO is on board to help a Lismore group pushing to fix a widespread drainage problem plaguing the regional city and surrounds. Here’s the latest.
Lismore
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lismore. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Lismore community group which has met with the CSIRO is seeking $500,000 in state government funding to fix Lismore’s dysfunctional storm water drains after the 2022 floods.
But the funding would likely be a drop in the ocean, with much more money needed to properly fix the issue.
Lismore Drains Community Action Group (LDCAG) has met with scientists and hopes to obtain funding under the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative to address broken, blocked and ineffective stormwater drains.
“Non-functioning stormwater drains mean that even in the lightest of rain, some properties will likely suffer localised flooding, with water rapidly flowing onto properties – whole streets are affected,” Professor Colin Wight said.
“We estimate that up to 5000 residents could be affected by these problems.”
Prof Wight is the chair of LDCAG, a group of more than 350 ratepayers and residents committed to improving the stormwater drains in Lismore and surrounds.
“When stormwater drains do not function, localised flooding often means that residents are unable to evacuate their properties by the time evacuation orders are issued,” Prof Wight said.
“The problems are concentrated in South, East, and North Lismore, although there are also similar problems in other districts that come under the control of the Lismore City Council.”
LDCAG conducted a survey completed by 68 respondents.
The respondents were concerned further rain would lead to localised flooding in affected areas and that council had taken “no action” to address the problem.
“Our survey revealed instances of residents unable to leave when evacuation orders were issued because their streets were already impassable due to the initial stormwater not draining away,” Prof Wight said.
The CSIRO has handed a report to the National Emergency Management Agency to see if the $500,000 will be allocated address the problem, with a decision expected in mid-February.
The state and federal Government have already shelled out $5 million to clear out, repair and upgrade rural drainage systems through the Northern Rivers Drainage Reset Program.
The program is part of the $150 million Primary Industry Support Package, designed to support the recovery of Northern Rivers primary producers in the sugarcane, horticulture, rice, soybeans, beef and dairy industries, who continue to be impacted by flood-damaged drainage systems.
Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said she welcomed the “modest grant” for local farmers to address “a long-term legacy issue”.
“It is recognition that this is a major issue that needs to be addressed in the overall mitigation plans yet to come. A welcome small reset,” Ms Saffin said.
“I also look forward to seeing future announcements on residential drains action across the Northern Rivers.
“I have advocated on this matter across all local government areas of the Lismore electorate. Here in Lismore alone, Lismore City Council in 2016 had a drains maintenance backlog of some $23 million.”
The $5-million Northern Rivers Drainage Reset Program is being administered by Regional NSW in partnership with the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, and will be rolled-out by local councils.
Prof Wight said the announcement acknowledged broken drains as a major issue, but didn’t address the problem of Lismore’s residential stormwater drain problems.
Meanwhile, LDCAG has complained to the Office of Local Government about the “abysmal” state of Lismore‘s storm water drains.
Chair of the Lismore Drains Action Group revealed Lismore council appears to have $2 million in unspent stormwater levy charges to ratepayers that is supposed to be spent on improving the drains.
“The floods and decades of neglect have blocked the stormwater drains across many Lismore areas,” Prof Wight said in a letter to Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman.
“In many areas of Lismore, the drains fall well below the minimum standard expected in a country as developed and wealthy as Australia – Third World would not be an inappropriate descriptor.”
A Freedom of Information request to council by LDCAG revealed $5.3 million in stormwater levies had been accrued by Lismore City Council since 2009.
The total expenditure of the storm water levy since 2009 was $3 million, appearing to leave $2 million unspent.
The council’s then-acting general manager John Walker said funds were restricted and could only be used for improvements, not general maintenance.
He said the council’s annual drain maintenance budget would be fully spent.
“There is currently $2.6 million in the Urban Stormwater Management Plan,” he said.
“$1.3 million of this was set aside for the naturalisation of Browns Creek through Lismore Park, however, Council voted not to progress with this.
“The USMP is due to be reviewed this year, which will include a number of public workshops to gain community input.”
A decision on the LDCAG formal complaint to the Office of Local Government regarding Lismore’s storm water drains is expected to be handed down by the end of the week.
Revealed: The 64 women who went missing or were murdered
For the first time the full list of 64 women who went missing or were murdered along the NSW north coast can be revealed.
Murdered or missing: Are multiple serial killers still stalking victims?
Dozens of women who were brutally murdered or disappeared on the NSW North Coast, but whose perpetrators were never caught can be revealed among fears some of them could be the work of one or more serial killers.