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A major infrastructure project to help alleviate flash flooding in the vicinity of Japan Street is expected to be completed in the next 12 months.
Planning and design work is currently under way to construct a sub-surface retention cell beneath Japan Street near Lava and Koroit Street as well as other drainage improvements.
The $850,000 project is funded by the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
The area has been subject to flash flooding due to the inability of the existing system to cope with the flows created by intense rain events.
Council is planning to adopt a similar method used in recent flood mitigation work in Gibson Street, which included the installation of a sub-surface retention cell to contain and slowly release stormwater during and after heavy rainfall.
“When you are dealing with infrastructure that’s underground and in one of the most low-lying areas in Warrnambool, a lot of careful planning needs to take place to make sure that the solution you adopt will be successful,” Mayor Cr Vicki Jellie said.
“The basin installed in Gibson Street is working as intended – capturing stormwater during heavy rain which is then slowly drained away.
“We are moving ahead with the construction works under Japan Street with money secured from the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, and we also met with the Victorian Government earlier this month to discuss further funding for potential additional works towards Koroit Street to further mitigate the risk of flooding in the area.
“With the onset of climate change, we know that extreme weather events will be more frequent, and we are working to help reduce the risk of flooding as much as we can.”