Rubbish Removal Will Free Waterways

Illawarra Mercury

Monday March 6, 2006

I AM amazed it has taken so long for the council to address our stormwater rubbish problem.

Every resident from Figtree to Bellambi who lives near a creek or watercourse knows that these areas have been relatively ignored and the amount of debris that builds up has caused the problem.

Before the devastating floods that hit our region in the late 1990s, the growth of trees and related debris in our watercourses was not removed or addressed. Subsequently our drains blocked, causing a backup of stormwater, and flooding occurred.

Ask the residents of Figtree, who had to swim out of their houses and reach high ground, and the Wollongong RSL Bowling Club which is located next to a watercourse that failed to drain away the water due to the amount of trees that lined the causeway.

I live next to a natural creek which has a water retention basin to slow down the flow, but it backed up due to the amount of debris that was ignored for years and it subsequently flooded Beaton Park.

While most of us know how trees hold the land together to ease erosion, the watercourses need to be cleared so natural flow may occur. These areas were only addressed after the fact, a bit late for the thousands it affected and now these so called "squids" are supposed to be the answer to trap rubbish.

If the watercourses were cleared creating a free flow, then with the high tide we could understand a backup, but this would quickly dissipate and we wouldn't experience such devastation. Cleaning and clearing these waterways to keep these areas free from tree debris is the answer.

God help us if we have another flood like the last, you will see how beneficial these new squids will be. Not!

- T DUNN,

West Wollongong.

© 2006 Illawarra Mercury

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