March 25, 2015
Long-standing drainage problems in Blackbutt’s CBD should be fixed by Christmas, a meeting in Blackbutt heard this week.
Starting in July, Council work crews will carry out a six-month project to install storm water pipes along Coulson Street, and several other areas on the western side of the town.
The Council will also be kerbing and sealing parts of Hart, John and Sutton Streets, as well as sealing a currently unsealed portion of Gladys Street.
SBRC Mayor Wayne Kratzmann announced the $3 million project at a public meeting held at the Blackbutt Memorial Hall on Monday night.
He said the Council will soon be calling tenders for $750,000 worth of pipes for the project.
When the pipe were delivered, he warned they would probably be stacked beside the highway for several months while Council workers installed them.
Work had already been carried out on a small portion of Coulson Street.
Mayor Kratzmann said the storm water and kerbing would address flooding problems that occurred in Blackbutt whenever heavy rains fell, often making it difficult or impossible for residents to access local shops.
He said while the Council didn’t have the resources to tackle the entire town’s sewerage and kerbing problems, the areas chosen for the work were those where drainage issues were worst.
He was confident the project would remedy the flooding problems, and free up Council to turn its attention to other Blackbutt streets in the years ahead.
“Blackbutt has been neglected in the past – there is no argument about that,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
“But Council will be working hard on this, and I think you’ll all see a big difference once this project has been completed.”
[UPDATED with correction]
