Two major stormwater projects to fix long-standing flooding problems are about to begin in Goulburn.
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Together, the work to replace drainage around the Faithfull/Addison Street intersection and in Bradley Street are worth $2.6 million.
At its worst, gushing stormwater in the Addison Street area created a large sinkhole in a resident's backyard several years ago when a drain failed. The hole has since been covered over but water has continued to inundate the area.
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Mayor Peter Walker said rainwater had rushed down from the area above Addison Street, into units on Faithfull Street and backyards, creating problems for residents and undermining the road's stability.
"Everything gave away," he said of the sinkhole.
Council CEO Aaron Johansson said the problem was brought to his attention soon after he took up the role in July.
"When the water runs down there, it has a lot of velocity so now it is about mitigating stormwater flow and keeping residents safe," he said.
At Tuesday night's meeting, councillors awarded a $621,639 tender to Horsley Park-based firm, Form and Pour, to relocate the failed drain running through a resident's yard to the adjacent road reserve.
Some 40 metres of the existing drain will be decommissioned and replaced. It will include a 64 metre box culvert structure with three junction pits. The work will ensure that the old brick arch drain's integrity is maintained as it will remain in service across the Addison/Faithfull Street intersection.
The hole in the resident's backyard will be filled in and the drain covered over. But another brick arch drain diagonally opposite, to which the new work will connect, will be retained.
The project will begin after stage one work is complete. Currently, Form and Pour workers are installing additional drainage capacity at the intersection as part of an earlier tender.
Cr Walker said the council was focusing more on ageing infrastructure.
"Some of this stuff hasn't been touched in 70 years and it's breaking," he said.
On Monday, crews will begin the first stage of long-awaited stormwater repairs in Bradley Street.
Crews will relocate a water main over the next three weeks as part of a two-stage $2 million project.
In the second stage, drainage capacity in Bradley Street between Auburn Street and Mulwaree Street will be upgraded with approximately 400m of new 900mm diameter storm water pipe along the northern side of Bradley Street. Tenders for the work closed on September 27. Councillors will select a tenderer in November.
Goulburn Mazda dealer principal, Kieran Davies said his premises had flooded five times in the past year, necessitating clean-ups.
On one occasion, during renovations, it destroyed newly laid carpet. The water was also laden with silt.
"It's an endless saga and has been going on for years," he said.
But Mr Davies said the problem had worsened since the former bowling club in Fenwick Crescent opposite had been developed into apartments.
"The original drains are about 100 years old and over time, with increased development, any decent downpour results in water inundating the area and coming up through our drains because the network can't cope," he said.
Mr Davies said he'd spent a significant amount on mitigation measures to cope until the problem was fixed.
The council work would essentially split the drainage network. The new stormwater drain on the northern side of Bradley Street would capture runoff from that area.
This would leave the existing stormwater drain to capture runoff from the southern side, including from the nearby Target site and Mazda's premises.
"We should be able to keep high and dry," Mr Davies said.
The work will begin on Monday, October 10 and take three weeks, weather permitting. Traffic control, detours and pedestrian management will be in place for the duration.
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
