The Dunedin City Council will today meet to begin a week of hearings for its nine-year plan, as well as the city’s adoption of Local Water Done Well — a government reform programme focused on the future delivery of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.
Among those who submitted on the plan were representatives of the recently formed Surrey St Flood Action Group.
In her submission, convener Lynne Newell said local residents had been complaining to the council for years, urgently requesting an overflow of wastewater and sewage in the street be stopped.
"We are continually flooded with sewage from the diversion of the hill suburbs’ wastewater.
"This sewage-filled stormwater flows into surrounding streets and increases the volume of water in the streets and thus the level of damage to properties.
"The health risk is appalling and is a moral duty for the council to immediately address."
In her submission, Ms Newell made a range of claims, including that the council was overstating climate change and was downplaying its own culpability for the overflows.
The group requested the council begin "urgent action" to reduce the risk of further wastewater overflow to zero within the next year and apologise to the people of South Dunedin, among other demands.
In his submission, committee member Julian Doorey said he had "financial skin in the issue of stormwater flooding".
"The discharged contaminated water, including raw sewage, creates environmental hazards and serious health risks."
The council has declined to comment on individual submissions before the hearings.
