subject: Cast Iron Gate Valves Desperately Needed For Flood-hit Brisbane [print this page] Councillors in Brisbane, Australia are waiting for new devices to be installed which will help to stop flooding in suburban areas.
Brisbane has suffered from flooding on a number of occasions during the last couple of years and it is hoped that by installing gate valves cast iron it will help to stop storm water from rising up through the drains and on to the streets.
Early last week, Brisbane City Council revealed its plans for where the 39 one-way valves would be fitted.
The new scheme will take over four years to become operational and cost over $10 million (6.39 million) but will drastically improve the surroundings in a region which has been on the receiving end of drastic weather conditions.
During 2014-15, one prevention valve will be installed in the western part of Queenslands biggest city, whilst the other will be installed in Bulimba to help the fight against flooding on the Harrison, Johnston and Tennyson streets.
Despite the progress being made, Shayne Sutton, a local councillor, has stated that the valves need to be installed at a quicker rate in the flood-ridden suburbs of Balmoral, Norman Park and Morningside.
What I have real concerns about is the fact that for every other location in my ward, they have been deemed a location feasible for 2016-17, she said to the Brisbane Times.
That clearly doesnt mean they will be funded in the 2016-17 year and it means they wont be looked at prior to the financial year.
Helen Abrahams, another local councillor, expanded on this by adding that the remaining 20% set to have valves fitted need to be done faster than the 2017 timescale which has been set out.
I call on the lord mayor to release the remaining 20 per cent of sites identified for back flow valves to be constructed post 2017, she stated.
"Residents who were flooded deserve to know today whether they will have a back flow valve installed to prevent flooding in their street. It is not good enough for them to be kept in the dark till 2017.
Despite the widely discussed debate over timescales, the lord mayor, Graham Quirk, provided details of testing and a comparison against the effectiveness of other drainage schemes would need to take place on the other sites before a decision can be made.
Some of the counties in the United Kingdom have been majorly affected by flooding in the past couple of weeks with more rain predicted in the next few days.
