Keep your rain coat handy, your umbrella by the door and a bucket in your boat – it looks like Eden is expected to have another few days of steady rainfall lasting until at least Friday.
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The consistent rainfall, which began to fall around 11.30am Tuesday morning, February 5, had the Eden SES on its toes up until one in the morning.
SES acting unit commander for Eden SES Patricia Daly said the heavy rainfall made for a quick rising of water, which affected building and infrastructure around Eden.
“We had five call outs both private and public- the private call outs were for leaking roofs and the public calls were for water threatening buildings,” Ms Daly said.
“No properties were inundated but the amount of water was threatening. We were sandbagging as a precautionary measure to keep the water out.”
The entry gutter of the disabled access car park outside the Eden Killer Whale Museum has been sandbagged. The water run off caused by heavy rains also poses a direct threat to the privately owned Whale View Apartments.
The seven unit apartment complex is situated on the property next door to the museum on Imlay St.
Jeff Knight, body corporate treasurer of the Whale View Apartments, said this was not the first time flooding had occurred and he has contacted council multiple times over the problem.
According to Mr Knight, flooding began after the Killer Whale Museum’s disabled access car parks were completed in November 2018. The guttering upon entry to the car park was lowered to make it level with the road.
Since then Mr Knight said every time it rains heavily, torrents of water gushes into the units’ yard.
“This problem just keeps on happening and I just keep on contacting council,” Mr Knight said.
Mr Knight said he approached council before the building of the car park advising them of his doubts about the change to the gutter system.
“I viewed the plans and spoke with an engineer on site. I approached council and told them of my concerns but they went ahead with the upgrade.
“The water doesn’t collect properly, it runs straight into our yard. There is a real threat of water damage to the units as well as mulch and surface damage flowing in with the water which blocks up drainage.”
“We don’t want our properties to flood every time it rains.”
Ms Daly said due to more rain being forecast over the coming days, sandbags will remain in place until Friday.
The SES had also contacted the council and were waiting to hear back some time today (Wednesday).
