2013 Flood:
The 2013 flood event has presented unprecedented
challenges to the Bundaberg Region. Previous events had widespread road pavement
damage in many of our rural areas but this event has produced significant
infrastructure damage in both urban a
nd rural areas – not only the highly
publicised area of North Bundaberg but also smaller communities west of Gin
Gin; such as Doughboy Road.
In response to these unprecedented challenges,
Council’s staff across the organisation rallied together to provide an
exceptional response, working long hours with an army of contractors to provide
immediate support to a community in need.
The Natural Disaster Relief & Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) have
been activated for the recent flood event. From that activation date, Council had 60
days to undertake emergent work but this has now been extended an additional 30 days. During
this period, our crews in Roads and Drainage and Water & Wastewater will continue
to work side by side focusing on making sites safe and trafficable and
reinstating connections to water and sewer networks.
Some of these works will be repaired to normal
construction standard (such as Mariners Way) to minimise future inconvenience
to our community. Design is being
undertaken concurrently with construction to provide a more flood resilient
entrance to Mariners Way.
| Kolan Street - before |
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Kolan Street - during emergent works
|
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However, most emergent works will require further construction
to be undertaken as restoration projects when such work is approved through the
NDRRA process.
Planning and preparation of project submissions for the restoration
stage are currently underway. The State
Government has provided an accelerated process for approvals and set some
extremely challenging timeframes for Council to achieve. Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA)
Officers have assisted Council with coordinating applications and approvals and providing reviews and support where required to fast track the approval process for release of funding.
To
address the significant damage from the 2013 natural disaster, Bundaberg
Regional Council convened a Flood Recovery Works Industry Briefing on Thursday
21 March 2013. This meeting was well
attended with representatives from approximately 30 contractors.
Council
presented its procurement strategy indicating its intention to call tenders for
work up to the value of $100Million by early April, 2013. Council proposes to shortlist the tenderers
to several contractors based on their demonstrated
ability to resource such works and willingness to engage local subcontractors
and suppliers. Contractors will be
appointed for a portion of the work by June 2013. A copy of the Meeting's presentation can be
viewed here.
Until the repairs can be carried out, conditions of some of the roads are not up to normal standard and motorists are urged to exercise due care and attention and drive to road conditions.
In addition, Council will continue working on
restoration projects from the 2010/11 flood events. Council had only received approval for the
majority of the 2010/11 NDRRA restoration projects late last year and has let
two large contracts to the value of $32M to Civil Mining & Construction
(CMC). These contracts started in
December and have suffered a minor setback but the works will be inspected to
identify any subsequent damage from the latest flood event and the extra work may
be able to be included in the current contract with CMC which has already recommenced. This contract with CMC is due for completion
by the end of June 2013; weather permitting.
2013 Flood Response
2010/11 Flood Events:
Extensive wet weather conditions throughout the Bundaberg Region in recent years have caused un-precendented damage to Council's road network. After monsoonal rain in 2010 and the more recent flood during 2010/11, Council spent in excess of $8 million in undertaking emergency repair work to make the damaged roads accessible.
The restoration works required to return Council's road network to the condition before the rains is beyond financial resources of most Local Government authorities. The Commonwealth and State Governments provide funding for restoration work under the terms of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). This funding is administered through the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA).
Following the monsoonal rain events in early 2010, Council made submissions for $7 million of restoration works to its road network. Approval to undertake this reconstruction work has been received and this work is near completion.
Further submissions were made to QRA for extensive damage from the 2010/11 flood. Every road in Council's 3,000 km road network was inspected, assessed for damage and scopes of work prepared. To date, Council has received approvals for $56 Million worth of restoration work and there is an additional $3 Million of work pending apprroval by QRA. Council has delivered a portion of this work already through local contractors, Sunstate Group Queensland, Berajondo Earthmoving and Haulage and RoadTek. Recently, Council has engaged Civil Mining and Construction Pty Ltd (CMC) to undertake a further $32 million of work. Further contracts have yet to be awarded to complete the outstanding restoration work.
The restoration works will take considerable time to be completed because of the magnitude of damage and the guidelines that have to be met to be successful for NDRRA funding.
Council seeks the support and co-operation of its residents as it takes on the immense task of restoring the road network. Information on the progress of these works can be found in the following media alerts.
| Media Alert 1 - Engagement of CMC to commence restoration works |
| Media Alert 2 - Commencing work in Winfield / Yandaran Areas |
| Media Alert 3 - Burnett Heads, Mon Repos, Kalkie, Bargara, Innes Park, Elliott Heads, Woongarra (Start February 2013) |
| Media Alert 4 - Work to recommence after 2013 Flood Event (Sharon and South Kolan areas where accessible) |
| Media Alert 5 - Program of Works rescheduled because of continued wet weather (Childers, North Isis, Doolbi, Redridge, Apple Tree Creek) |
Media Alert 6 - Work to start at Kalkie, Bargara, Burnett Heads and Innes Park after Easter
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| Media Alert 7 - Progress Update, Complimentary Works and 3rd Stabilizer to Commence |
