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As rain continues to fall the Dunedin City Council is keeping an eye on the weather forecast in case sandbagging stations are needed if flooding becomes widespread.

Dunedin City Council chief executive Sandy Graham said the city’s mud tanks are working efficiently but some grates are becoming blocked by loose debris, especially cabbage tree leaves.

"Contractors are working to clear grates throughout the city but if people notice one is blocked near their home, please clear any debris onto the footpath where it will be picked up by contractors when the weather clears."

If residents can’t do this themselves, they are asked to call the DCC on 477 4000 and a DCC contractor will do it.

Sandbagging stations have not been set up at this stage but the DCC is on call overnight, will be managing the situation and keeping an eye on the weather forecast.

The council will reassess the situation tomorrow morning, including the updated weather forecast, and will keep residents informed through the media and social media if sandbagging stations will be established tomorrow.

Comments

Two days ago, I had a comment published on this ODT website in relation to weeds and vegetation in Dunedin (specifically, the DCC's failure to notice that its contractor had failed to carry out the work satisfactorily.) In that comment I noted that the city's gutters were full of rubbish and mudtank gratings were increasingly covered with material washed down those gutters. I asked whether the next crisis, "unforeseen" by the DCC, would be flooding caused by this basic lack of maintenance. At the time I made this comment, I did not know of the heavy rain forecast. Now the DCC Chief Executive is asking people to go out and clean mudtanks to alleviate flooding concerns in the city. If I can see the lack of maintenance going on in the city, why can't the people who are paid to ensure it is done i.e. council contract supervisors and their managers?

"Contractors are working to clear grates throughout the city but if people notice one is blocked near their home, please clear any debris onto the footpath where it will be picked up by contractors when the weather clears." these contractors can't even get to the weeds around the city so what makes you think they will get to this debris?.

And what stops it being washed back into the gutters???? Bright bunch the DCC.

 

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