Water works
Investigations are underway into last week’s flood damage to businesses in Geraldton’s city centre.
City of Greater Geraldton infrastructure, planning and design officer Mark Atkinson said City staff worked through the weekend to get drainage systems functioning after the “unexpected inundation”.
“Geraldton Fire Services were called out about 2am on Saturday to assist in unblocking the Forrest St outfall to prevent flooding in that catchment, eliminating the threat of flooding to business premises in Marine Tce and Chapman Rd,” he said.
“Work was undertaken by City staff under significant adverse conditions to keep an old drainage system functioning and limiting the damage to property in the CBD and built up areas of the city.”
One Stop Electronics was one of a number of businesses on Marine Tce affected by the floods.
The City provided CBD retailers with sandbags over the weekend to help prevent further damage from forecasted storms.
One Stop Electronics business owner Sue Svensson said the store’s carpet had to be removed as a result of flooding last week.
The store remained closed for three days to allow the shop to undergo repairs.
“On Thursday morning when we were flooded we had 16mm of rain — that is not a storm — what we had on Sunday was a storm,” Mrs Svensson said.
“I believe we are going to have to continue to sandbag for the whole of winter (and) as a business owner and a member of the Chamber of Commerce I don’t find that acceptable.
“My concern is I don’t want our CBD to continue to look like we’re in a war zone, it’s not an attractive sight for our CBD to be sandbagged.”
Mid West Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Bill Headley said the sandbags needed to stay at Marine Tce because there were more winter storms on the way that could threaten businesses in the area.
“The inconvenience is still there for the traders,” he said.
“I don’t know that it’s been this bad in years past, but there’s flooding in Marine Tce and Foreshore Dve every winter of some magnitude.
“I don’t think that the issue is resolved by a long-shot.”
The City will continue its investigations into the floods and provide ongoing maintenance to the drainage system over the coming weeks.
