Flood protection works start in Ocean Grove

WORKS have started on a major drainage upgrade in Ocean Grove which will provide significant flood protection to affected residents in Epworth Street and surrounds.
Forming part of the City of Greater Geelong council’s capital works program and undertaken by the city’s appointed contractor, Jaydo Constructions, the works are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
A new pipe (about one metre in diameter) to connect the Blue Waters Lake outlet to Presidents Avenue is being installed as part of the works.
It will collect flows from higher in the catchment and channel them directly to the lake, preventing rainwater from flowing overland through private properties before re-entering the existing drainage network.
The volume of water being collected and discharged into the lake is expected to remain the same.
The project is now about 50 per cent completed with pipes installed from Blue Waters Lake up Cuthbertson Drive to Kalinga Road to Field Street North.
Work is under way in Epworth Street and will continue along this street to Presidents Avenue where a small section on the left will also be subject to works.
Each section of street affected by the works will be resealed as part of the project.
The council acknowledges while these types of capital works programs cause some disruption to residents, the outcome of the $1.6 million project would be very important to the residents whose properties were prone to flooding.
“We are really pleased with the progress of these works,” the council’s chair of the parks, gardens and city services portfolio Cr Anthony Aitken said.
“The works are significant and involve major equipment and infrastructure. Anyone who has observed the works will have been interested to see the enormous size of each section of the pipe.
“We know that residents will welcome the improved drainage and the protection from significant flooding in the future.”