Reports released yesterday by the South Dunedin Future programme detailed climate-change risks facing the low-lying suburb and outlined seven options to respond to the danger.
The options sat on a spectrum between "fight", boosting flood defences, and "flight", a large scale relocation of homes and infrastructure to lower-risk areas.
Bri Soper said it was great to see the programme, established by the Otago Regional and Dunedin City councils, considering the future of South Dunedin.
She and her family had lost 90% of their possessions when their home was significantly damaged in last October’s weather event.
They were living in their fourth house in just five months and Mrs Soper’s nerves rose every time it rained.
"I just hope that something will come together that will work for the majority of people," she said.
"It's all going to take a lot of time and infrastructure and money."
She thought the councils would have to commit to a managed retreat in the longer term, regardless of any plans to divert water.
"I do fear that with global warming and everything else that's going on, [pipes and pumps are] not going to be a sustainable option long-term," Mrs Soper said.
"They probably need to think about relocating people in these positions because essentially long-term it's probably all going to end up under water."
Her family were preparing to rebuild their home in Surrey St "very high off the ground" — but she was still concerned about the risk of future floods.
"How high can you go?"
