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Community feedback wanted on Bass Coast Drainage Service Asset Management Plan by 12 April 2024

Bass Coast Shire Council seeks community feedback on its Drainage Services Asset Management Plan until April 12. The plan includes investigating impacts of legacy issues, development, and climate change on drainage infrastructure.

By news@gippsland - 22nd March 2024 - Back to News

Bass Coast Shire Council has released its reviewed Drainage Services Asset Management Plan and is seeking community feedback about the plan until April 12. Community submissions will be considered, before a report is presented to council in May. As part of its four yearly audit into drainage services infrastructure, council will investigate how legacy issues, new development and climate change is impacting its extensive network of drains, pipes, pits and outfalls.

Council is revising Drainage Services Asset Management Plan for 2024, feedback is sought on maintaining service levels amidst growth and increased maintenance costs

Drainage network management

The Drainage Services Asset Management Plan includes a whole catchment flood study to consider the changing rainfall patterns, prompted by climate change, and how this may impact council's drainage network and services in the future.

Bass Coast Mayor Clare Le Serve said Bass Coast had an extensive network of drains, spanning 570 km of pipes and 23,000 pits and outfalls, with 40 water quality treatment systems. Since the last plan review in 2020, the number of drainage assets in Bass Coast has increased significantly, largely due to new developments and the Pioneer Bay drainage improvements.

Urban drainage management

Mayor Clare Le Serve said, "Council is responsible for managing the existing built urban drainage system, which involves maintaining the current drainage infrastructure, taking on more infrastructure every year, capacity planning and flood mitigation works. We are adding to our drainage network each year and these assets need to be maintained to ensure the network continues to function well. That means we need to propose increases to the maintenance budget of around 2% a year."

"Overall, our pits and pipes are in good to fair condition, and only a low number of assets will require attention in the short to medium term. But we need to be prepared, and we need to understand shifting climate risks and the changing urban environment," Cr Le Serve said.

Submit your feedback

Cr Le Serve said the council also wanted to gain greater understanding of future flood risk areas through in-depth flood modelling and climate change factors. "Considering the impacts of changing rainfall patterns from climate change and how this will impact the network in the future, we're proposing to conduct a whole catchment flood study to help shape our new plan," she said.

To view the Drainage Services Asset Management Plan review or offer feedback as part of the community consultation, visit Drainage Service Asset Management Plan | Engage Bass Coast website.

Pictures from Bass Coast Shire Council website.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com