Wednesday, 7 February 2024

Evelyn electorate drainage

Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (19:18): (509) The Lilydale, Coldstream, Yering and Yarra Valley communities suffered significant flooding again last month, late December and early January, with inundation leading to flooding of properties, roads, communities and sport facilities and exposing inadequate drainage infrastructure. My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Water, and the action I seek is for the government to urgently upgrade the Lilydale open drain and other state-owned drain infrastructure in the Evelyn electorate.

Over a year ago I wrote to Melbourne Water requesting the Lilydale open drain be upgraded to mitigate flooding of homes and streets in this vicinity, including Nimblefoot Way, Delta Close, Nelson Road, Cave Hill Road, Winnetka Drive, The Gateway, Morokai Grove and others. Melbourne Water admitted to me it was responsible for ensuring the open drain conveys water effectively and is responsible for maintaining the hydraulic function of the drain and culverts, but this is not happening. The hydraulic functioning of the drain and culverts is compromised, and water is not being conveyed effectively because the culverts are always full of weeds, rubbish and other debris, which not only makes this an extreme safety hazard but has residents living in fear of being flooded every time it rains.

The Lilydale open drain and culvert is clearly no longer fit for purpose. It is a waste of money and a nonsense for contractors to reactively clear the drain after complaints to Yarra Ranges council or Melbourne Water, only for the weeds to regrow and the rubbish to pile up again. I am aware Yarra Ranges council owns the drain and is responsible for maintaining the built structure of the culvert at Nelson Road, Lilydale, but unfortunately council has so far refused to address the drainage and flooding issue adequately for our community, despite me making representations to them for three or four years now. Surely the state government and Melbourne Water have an ability to require Yarra Ranges council to fulfil its obligations to upgrade the drain and culvert, replace the twin pipes with a larger capacity single-span crossing or single large-box culvert, to reduce flooding risk and to address the known problems that Melbourne Water outlined in a letter to me nearly 12 months ago. Otherwise the state government and Melbourne Water have no chance of meeting their own obligations to ensure the hydraulic functioning of the drain and for it to convey water effectively.

Hundreds of residents in Lilydale – indeed thousands across the Yarra Valley – continue to be impacted by the inaction of council and the state government to ensure drainage in our region is adequate and fit for purpose. I wish to acknowledge the hundreds of residents who have raised this issue, and I pay tribute to the Lilydale Flood Watch group, in particular Michelle de Lima, Jodie Thexton, Lyette Stegert, Natasha Archibald, Deborah Richardson and the many other residents who continue to work tirelessly in their advocacy to get this drainage and flooding issue fixed on behalf of our local community.