A resident for over 40 years, 82-year-old Reidar Herfoss once operated a machinery workshop on Government Rd, and says he has battled council for three decades to properly maintain a flood-prone creek running along the back of the block.

“(Former BVSC councillor) Mick Allen said ‘we don’t have any money, why don’t you fix it yourself?’, so I dug all the way from the highway to stop the flooding.

“I did them a big favour digging out a big drain at my own cost, and the least I expected was for them to keep it clear.

“But they keep saying they have no money.” 

Mr Herfoss said the creek is now so choked with trees and shrubs that any heavy rainfall will result in flooding across the back of the Government Rd industrial properties, and lake pollution.

BVSC group manager of transport and utilities Wayne Satori denied knowledge of any flooding problems in the area, and was unsympathetic to Mr Herfoss’ digging efforts.

“While council is responsible for drainage maintenance, it is also subject to provisions of planning, environment and vegetation legislation, which do not allow the unrestricted or uncontrolled removal of sedimentation and vegetation in the area,” Mr Satori said.

Now retired, Mr Herfoss also has a bone to pick regarding the state of his home’s Imlay St driveway, saying a large catchment and small drainage outlets result in regular flooding of his yard. 

To ease the problem, Mr Herfoss built a retaining wall and dug in a new pipe.

“I was told to stop doing it because they were going to fix this shortly, which was 30 or 40 years ago,” Mr Herfoss said.

“Council staff on several occasions have undertaken repairs and assisted Mr Herfoss with immediate remedial works,” Mr Satori said. 

“A longer term solution is currently being investigated as is the available funding source for future drainage upgrade.”