The council has developed a way forward to manage its stormwater drainage network.
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A report presented to the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council meeting on February 15 summarised the status of the council’s stormwater management.
It attempted to quantify the extent of the risk to council associated with the stormwater network management and gave options to allow the council to determine a course of action to manage the network and associated infrastructure.
Cr Justin Levido said the report gave the council a way forward.
“If we are serious about making a difference with stormwater – realising it’s a four-year, eight-year, 12-year program – we have to start somewhere,” he said.
Cr Levido said the amounts of money involved were serious amounts of money but it was a serious problem.
The council agreed to consider an annual allocation of $215,000 as part of the operational budget starting in 2017/18 for the establishment of a stormwater cleaning, CCTV and condition assessment team.
The team would include two new staff and specialist plant and equipment to enable the expansion and continuation of the CCTV and condition assessment program started in 2015/16.
Councillors agreed to give consideration to an annual allocation of $1 million as part of the operational budget towards the start of a stormwater renewals program from 2017/18.
The allocation includes the creation of a stormwater renewals operational crew and associated plant and equipment.
The general manager has been requested to develop and implement a proactive maintenance program for open drains and gross pollution traps.
The council agreed to give consideration to an annual allocation of $60,000 towards the development and implementation of a proactive maintenance plan for the council’s drainage reserves and stormwater basins.
The water, sewer and stormwater portfolio will be requested to continue to investigate a revised funding model for stormwater capital works.
The resolution was carried 8:1 with Cr Sharon Griffiths voting against the decision.
Cr Levido told the council meeting that he appreciated fixing the stormwater issue was not a sexy area of council work, and it was not something that was highly visible, but it was something that seriously needed to be done.