Wet wet wet

Published on 06 July 2022

We are once again faced with a severe rain event, with road closures, evacuations and even rescues of people stranded. Council’s crews are hard at work monitoring the safety of our roads, detention basins and working with the SES and police during this severe weather period.

So far our region has experienced some flooding around Lansdowne, and the Fairfield SES Unit issued evacuation orders to residents in those areas over the weekend, while door knocking continued in other flood prone parts warning residents to prepare for more heavy rain. 

Council crews are emergency-filling potholes, providing traffic control where required; and ensuring that our catchment infrastructure, such as creeks and detention basins are coping with the significant amount of rainfall.

Council has undergone extensive flood mitigation works since the 1980s to keep our community safe; including more than 20 detention basins, waterway improvements and one of the largest house raising programs in the state. During extreme rain events, detention basins collect rainwater and slowly release it into our creek system, which allows them more time to empty when they are overwhelmed and overflowing. 

Upgrade works to the Fairfield Golf Course Detention Basin in Prairiewood are now under way to ensure it can continue to do its job of holding water to prevent flooding to surrounding homes, keeping the community safe. Head to fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/FGC-detention-basin-upgrade for more.

For the latest updates on evacuations and road closures, follow Fairfield SES unit and Fairfield Police on Facebook. Please, drive with caution in the rain and never drive or wade through flood waters, for your own safety.

When the rains ease, Council will focus its efforts on once again restoring local roads including permanently patching potholes when the roads are dry. You can report potholes at www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/RoadMaintenance.