SDC Update on flood situation

An update on the various issues around Southland District caused by floodwaters:

Sandbags are being cleared at the Otautau bridge this morning as the floodwaters did not go over the stopbanks, Southland District Council Incident Management Team manager Fran Mikulicic said. The road is open to traffic now, but teams are working on the side of the road tidying up so please take care.

“We are really pleased that our team and contractors have managed to get water back on in Tuatapere as they have got a generator set up and all critical plant material was above the floodwaters, which are slowly receding. The team has worked really hard to pull this together, so a big thank you,” she said.

There are also water tankers in the town for drinking water for the residents. The boil water notice remains until further notice. Water tankers are situated on Main Road (opposite the foursquare), and on Bridge Street (Riverton side of the main bridge) in Tuatapere.

Staff are monitoring closed landfill sites at Bayswater east, Fairfax and Bayswater west which are under water. A large amount of debris is floating in the river, but staff can't tell if any damage has occurred at the sites, which will all be checked later today as the Aparima River is still rising.

Power has been restored to Ohai, Balfour, Riversdale and Winton, and so the wastewater systems are all working to optimum. Manhole covers were blown open in most towns and the team is working to get these all closed, assessing overflows and beginning cleanup where possible.

Water treatment plants are coping well considering the situation and are still producing compliant drinking water currently, she said.

Roads around the district are under water or have some surface flooding. Signs are out where the crews can and what information we have is online, but everyone is advised to avoid travelling if possible, and if they are on the roads, to take care and drive to the conditions.

The list of roads known as at 9.18am to be either closed or likely to have surface flooding.

CLOSED

SH6 is closed at Garston township, Rakahouka Hedgehope Road, Counsell Road, Keowns Bridge Road, Plains Station Road, Riverton Otautau Road, Gropers Bush Thornbury Road, Spar Bush Winton Road, Fairfax Isla Bank Road, North Makarewa Road from Tomlinson to Horman, Island Edendale Road from Matai to Mataura Island, Wyndham Road from Wyndham to Marairua Road, South Hillend Dipton – Closed around Camp Taringatura, Tussock Creek Grove Bush Road

AREAS KNOWN TO HAVE LIKELY SURFACE FLOODING

Wreys Bush Mossburn Road is now open and has two sites on it under speed restriction, Riverton Otautau Road - Priority giveway single lane near Glenburn Road Intersection,
Castlerock Road; Counsell Road; Dipton Castlerock Road, Felton Road, Fingerpost Pyramid Road, Fleming Road, Mataura Island Titiroa Road, Piano Flat Road, Pyramid Waiparu Road, Pourakino Valley Road, Riversdale Pyramid Road, Riversdale Waikaia Road, Roy Road, Taramoa West Plains Road, Tokanui Gorge Road Highway, Wyndham Letterbox Road, Ferry St, Wyndham.