Dunedin City Council heavy rain warnings preparations
Thursday, 20 July 2017

Dunedin City Council staff and contractors are actively preparing ahead of a heavy rain warning issued for the city.

The updated Met Service warning issued late this morning predicts 150mm-200mm of rain in Dunedin from midday Friday to around 6am on Saturday, with peak intensities of 15-20mm per hour.

This is a significant amount of rain which has the potential to cause flooding issues, slips and disruption to transport.

DCC staff and contractors are doing all they can to ensure the city is prepared for the downpour.

Various staff and contractors have been placed on standby to provide 24 hour coverage.

Road maintenance contractors have been out sweeping gutters around the city. Additional checks of mud tanks in low lying and high risk areas are taking place.

All DCC stormwater screens are clear. We are continuing to monitor the situation and crews will be checking screens to ensure they are kept clear of debris.

Sandbags will be available for collection from around 9am tomorrow at the locations below. Contractors will be on-site to assist with filling and loading.

· South Dunedin – carpark behind St Clair Tennis Club, Victoria Road
· Mosgiel – Memorial Park car park beside the stadium/Mosgiel Memorial Gymnasium

Kerbside recycling and DCC rubbish collections will continue as normal on Friday. Emptied bins should be removed from the kerbside as soon as possible after collection to avoid being blown away.

The Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centre is not activated at this stage, but staff are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to respond if and when required.

We are also advising residents to be prepared ahead of the rain. Things you can do include:

· Check spoutings and drainage channels for blockages and clear them if necessary.

· If your basement is prone to flooding lift items that could be damaged by water off the floor. Be sure garden sprays and other chemicals won’t be affected.

· Check grates near your house for blockages and keep them clear of leaves and other debris to avoid water building up and affecting your property.

If people notice a flooded mud tank (the storm water grates in the gutter) they should call the DCC on 03 477 4000 so we can organise the contractors to visit the site and address the problem.

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