14 Aug 2014

$20m bill for flood protection work

10:26 am on 14 August 2014

The Christchurch City Council is to be asked to approve $20 million in funding for flood protection work - half of which has already been committed to.

Severe storms in March and April this year caused repeated flooding in parts of the South Island city, making some homes uninhabitable.

A taskforce was set up by mayor Lianne Dalziel in May to find short-term solutions for 1500 homeowners identified as experiencing regular flooding since damaging earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.

Staff tasked with finding solutions to ongoing flooding say a range of short-term measures will be the best way to protect homes in areas such as the Flockton basin.

On Thursday, councillors will receive a final report recommending $20 million worth of work to widen and deepen city waterways, install temporary pumping stations and build stop banks.

Council spokesperson John Mackie said this work is on top of a long-term, $50 million plan, and the full cost of flood protection in Christchurch could be between $70 million and $80 million.

Mr Mackie says insurance and EQC funding will be needed to carry out the full range of measures.

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Severe flooding in Flockton basin in April. Photo: RNZ / Nicola Grigg

Leslie Fleming has been evacuated from her Carrick Street home six times this year and said the council has done all it could and it was time the Government stepped in to help fund flood-defence measures.

Ms Fleming said residents cannot move on with their lives because they do not know what is happening with their homes.