Still wet in Soden Road

By Bridget Cook
GREATER Dandenong council has been forced to use council trucks and vehicles to ferry Bangholme residents across flood waters for school, work and shopping.
Some residents in Soden Road have been stranded in their homes with water still over Soden Road, Bangholme, since last weekend’s deluge.
The council has been pumping at a rate of 160,000 litres per hour 24 hours a day, along with the assistance of much larger Melbourne Water pumps.
While the water level has gone down significantly, it is expected that the pumping will continue for about another week.
Greater Dandenong engineering services director Bruce Rendall said the council had offered all affected residents the ability to get ferried through the waters by council trucks.
“Several people have taken up this opportunity,” he said. “Some people have cars at the other end, while others get buses, taxis or friends to pick them up for things like shopping, school or work.”
Mr Rendall said the council still doesn’t know why the flooding was so bad in the area.
“There was extensive flooding over the area,” he said. “Some residents have said it’s the worst ever they have seen down there.”
Mr Rendall said the council would work with all stakeholders involved to try and find a solution so it wouldn’t happen again.
“It will be complicated, as it will involve the council, Melbourne Water and potentially Kingston City Council,” he said.
“But we will work together to look at finding a way to improve the situation.”
Greater Dandenong was struck with more than 150mm of rain in February 4 to 5 storm.
Mr Rendall said the council has received about 710 calls related to flooding and drainage issues.
“On the Friday night we received more than 170 calls,” he said. “Usually in a big storm we normally get about 30 to 40 calls.”