News

Appeal for 'review' after road floods

Residents in Kippa-Ring are calling for an ‘independent review’ into flooding right outside their homes in a recent storm.

Darrin Ruprecht, who lives on Klingner Rd, said it was only “by God’s grace” houses did not "go under" again after "only a a very short storm".

He said residents in the service road, beside the Anzac Ave-Klingner Rd intersection, were on "tenterhooks" having been flooded in the February 2022 deluge.

Such is their concern, Mr Ruprecht has written to Transport Minister Mark Bailey asking for a review, similar to last year's on the M1 Pacific Highway near Tallebudgera Creek.

At the time of publication, the Minister had not replied. Mayor Peter Flannery was copied in on the email. 

“We’re all on tenterhooks,” he said, “if we get 25-30mm in a downpour we’re moving furniture upstairs again.

“(Being lower than the road) it’s nothing to see (neighbour) Craig or I, or whoever gets up first in the morning, clearing the drain to be safe.

“It’s traumatic. When my wife wakes up at 3am when it’s just sprinkling (with rain) because she is worried about the house going under, that’s what drives it.

“All we want, as residents, is for the issue with the scoping (of the road works) to be recognised and addressed.

“For us, it is about finding the right pathway to set the process up.”

Around 20mm of rain is estimated to have fallen in a short, sharp downpour on March 11 filling the drain opposite their homes.

Mr Ruprecht said it caused a “four-foot fountain” of water, lifted a large slab of concrete by the drain and flooded the road.

The water level almost breached the high point on his driveway.

Mr Ruprecht said it was the first time this had happened since the Anzac Ave upgrades were completed.