There are serious concerns about the drainage system in Kerang, particularly during storms. A public meeting was held at the Kerang Memorial Hall on Monday evening to discuss this issue.
It was found that the aging infrastructure in Kerang is causing floodwater to accumulate in certain areas of the township. On Christmas Day last year, 13 out of 14 stormwater pumps in Kerang were out of action due to an electricity outage.
People criticised Powercor for not revealing the cause of the outage, and their SMS system for electricity restoration was found to be inaccurate. The Bureau of Meteorology was also criticised for its inability to accurately predict storms and activate warnings. As a result, stagnant and discoloured water has collected in certain areas, providing a breeding ground for mosquitoes and emitting an unpleasant smell. Even now, stormwater is still visible around town.
Geoff Rollinson, the CEO of Gannawarra Shire Council, answered most of the questions at the meeting.
It was noted that reckless driving through flooded areas of the township caused further damage to homes. The height of stormwater made it challenging for ambulances and emergency services to access residents.
Mr Rollinson reminded residents that the Gannawarra Shire is not just Kerang; it also includes Cohuna, Quambatook, Murrabit, Koondrook and Leitchville. He stated that there was a budget pyramid for council projects. When Mr Rollinson was informed of areas that the council was not aware of, he promised to investigate and follow up. Mr Rollinson advised that the council was waiting for a tender process to complete and was investigating ways to reduce pressure on the main stormwater pathway, eliminating water backup. However, he did mention that no drainage system would have coped with the storms over a 12-day period that produced nine inches of rain.
Peter Walsh, the Victorian Parliamentary member for Murray Plains, was present at the meeting but was not invited to speak. He stayed after the meeting to talk to attendees.
The meeting was mostly civil, although a few residents expressed different opinions. One Macorna resident accused a Macorna food producer of poor farming practices and adding to township flooding.
Residents expressed concern with communication between agencies, the Gannawarra Shire Council and Goulburn Murray Water, expressing buck-passing on who was responsible for system maintenance.
Organisers of the community meeting plan to hold another one in March.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 25 January 2024.
