Damage bill into millions

By Danny Buttler
CARDINIA Shire is facing a $6 million flood damage bill, with the figure likely to rise further in coming weeks.
Assessments are still going on across the shire, with roads, drains, bridges and council property all being investigated in the wake of recent record rainfall.
The single biggest cost for council will be the repair bill for its unsealed road network.
Around 10 per cent of the municipality’s 1000 kilometres of gravel roads will require extensive repair work at an estimated cost of $2.3 million.
Other high cost repairs will include $1.8 million to fix around 40 kilometres of open drains, while $800,000 will be needed for works on bridges and culverts.
Council spokesman Paul Dunlop said the total damage bill included numerous problems that are still being reported.
“We will have $800 for the Emerald Lake wading pool, which was filled with lake water and mud … a lot of small things like that,” he said.
In the weekend and half since the floods struck, council has used its resources to help householders who were inundated and to keep roads open where possible.
“Council has done a detailed assessment across the shire of all the issues caused by the floods,” he said.
“Now we are entering into that phase where we conduct detailed assessments of what is required and how long it will take to repair the damage that has been caused.”
The most immediate issue has been looking after people whose homes have been affected.
Mr Dunlop said about 200 homes had so far been identified as needing assistance.
“The early information we have received is that about 160 houses in the shire were damaged but remain habitable,” he said. “Another 30 have been rendered uninhabitable, the majority of which are in Pakenham.”
Repairing roads has been the next priority, with Salisbury Road in Emerald, the Bunyip River Road and Main Drain Road all major priorities.
“They have been affected by landslips and have been closed and will remain closed while they do geo-technical assessments,” Mr Dunlop said.
“Roads have taken a major hit with the floods, so the focus in the short term is about returning people’s lives back to normal.”
While assessments have been completed and repair work started, there will be more problems lurking beneath the surface.
Council believes that much of the damage will not become apparent for some time, with underground damage eventually leading to problems with roads and properties.