Call for flooding solution

By Lachlan Ellis

Business owners in Ballan’s industrial estate are seeking a permanent solution to the area’s flooding issue, but acknowledge it won’t be a quick fix.

Around ten commercial owners met with Council’s General Manager of Community Assets & Infrastructure Phil Jeffrey, and Manager of Major Projects Leigh Ryall, to discuss their concerns and possible solutions last Wednesday.

Photos and videos were shared to show the scale of the flooding, which landowners say “flooded twice before Christmas three weeks apart, and another time after Christmas”.

Kathleen Luke showed a box of photo albums, a family heirloom, and books with historical records that had all been damaged by the flooding in her rented storage unit.

Owner of Pine Ezyworks, Ian Fenwick, said floodwater had come six metres into his building, and Barry Sims (Ballan Storage) suggested the current 300 mm drainage pipes at Haddon Drive needed to be replaced with 450 or 600 mm pipes – but Mr Jeffrey said that would cost Council millions.

“A few years ago there was an holistic drainage study of south Ballan done all the way to Geelong Road by Melbourne Water. It looked at future development that might occur and what needs to be done to account for that,” Mr Jeffrey said.

“There was a bit of a pipe layout done. Some drainage schemes, and I’m not saying it’ll happen here, all properties contribute to get the outcome. If it’s left to Council to do it, it’ll all come to the budgeting process. We’ve got hundreds of drainage issues going on at the moment across the Shire that all needs to go into a melting pot.

“The ultimate drainage solution would cost millions of dollars…that’s out of my hands.”

Culverts under the driveways of affected businesses were discussed as an option, but maintaining and installing them is the property owner’s responsibility.

“Then just supply them, we can install them,” Mr Fenwick said.

Ultimately, Mr Jeffrey collected the contact details of the affected business owners and asked them to send through summaries and photos of their concerns.

“Part of the reason I’m saying I can’t commit to anything right now, is we need to look at where Telstra is, where gas is, where water is, where sewer is…we might even need to dig a more decent swell. The railway line is a chokepoint too,” Mr Jeffrey said.

With more blocks planned for the industrial estate, and silt run off from construction already having contributed to the severity of the flooding, business owners are requesting a long-term solution to the flooding is completed before those blocks begin construction works.