South Cessnock residents continue to battle floodwater overflowing from drains in the area.
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Matt and Kira McIntyre say their Gordon Avenue backyard floods each time there is a downpour, with water above ankle-deep.
The couple have lived in the house for six years and not long after they moved in, the area was declared a flood zone.
Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre say the drain on Oliver Street that runs adjacent to Gordon Avenue becomes overflowed almost every time it rains; meaning water runs along the back laneway all the way to their home, which is the fourth house along.
Mr. McIntyre said not only is the drain not big enough, when it does start to fill up the water doesn’t flow properly.
“It’s just got nowhere to go, nowhere at all,” he said.
Mr. McIntyre said on one particular day of heavy rainfall, the drain only took 15 minutes to fill.
The couple has had to put pavers in their backyard to raise the ground of their chicken coop, which houses Mrs. McIntyre’s rare breed of White Australorp chickens.
She said she has almost lost baby chicks when it has rained before as they nearly drowned in the floodwater.
The couple are also concerned about the effect this issue has on the price of their house.
“It devalues our property,” he said.
Mr. McIntyre said the storm water goes under the house and has affected the foundations, meaning they have had to replace one of their bearers.
The couple say the whole neighbourhood worries each time it rains.
“You’re always in fear your house is going to flood,” Mrs. McIntyre said.
Mr. McIntyre said he approached council two years ago but they have yet to improve the situation.
A council spokesperson said South Cessnock has been listed as the next stage of Council’s Floodplain Management Program and that council is working towards developing solutions to resolve flooding in the South Cessnock area.
Council officers will also be pursuing government assistance grant funding to carry out works, and hope to present options to the community that will ease the flooding in the area in the form of a public exhibition or workshop during 2015.
