Toxic soil at Merri Creek causes budget blowout for council project

TOXIC soil found on the banks of Merri Creek has almost doubled the cost of a council project and stalled urgent repairs to a dangerous intersection.

Contractors found toxic hydrocarbons on the banks of Merri Creek in Northcote. Picture: Yannis Ntousiopoulos

TOXIC soil on the banks of Merri Creek has caused the cost of a council project to blow out by almost half a million dollars and stalled urgent repairs to a dangerous intersection.

Work to restore a sinking stretch of road in Northcote ground to a halt last month after contractors discovered contaminated dirt on site.

Removing and disposing of the soil will balloon the costs to $985,685 — ­almost double the original budget of $535,685.

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The intersection of Walker and McLachlan streets sits on a Merri Creek embankment and has been slowly sinking into the creek, causing cracks in the road and increasing the risk of dangerous land­slides.

Consultants Coffey Geotechnics inspected the site in 2013 and recommended urgent works to prevent the collapse of the road into the creek, which could “pose a high risk on people’s lives”.

Coffey declared a “low risk” of soil contamination and suggested a “provisional sum” to cover the discovery of toxic soil.

But the council refused to release details of the sum.

The contract to carry out the works, awarded to CDN Constructors, set aside $53,000 for “unforeseen risks”.

Darebin Ratepayers Association spokeswoman Anne Laver said the council had shown “poor budgeting” by not preparing for the contingency, and called for greater transparency.

A 2012 study by Metro Trains found the site had sunk 500mm due to the settlement of thick clay underneath, and called for urgent repairs to prevent damage to homes and the nearby Merri Creek Bridge, which connects cyclists and pedestrians to Rushall Station.

Contractors discovered benzpyrenes — toxic hydrocarbons — at a depth of 1.2m. They are a byproduct of the road’s bitumen surface.

Coffey did not respond by the Leader’s deadline.