Fed up with Foxton flooding
An elderly man says his retirement dream is lost, after a series of floods has left Foxton residents asking why the infrastructure can’t cope in heavy downpours.
Robert Hair is one of three people living in a block of Johnston St flats flooded during heavy rains early on Wednesday.
The contaminated water came about 15 centimetres into their homes, so all the floorings, plasterboard and furnishing are now being stripped out.
It’s the fourth flood in 10 years. Twice previously another resident stopped the water entering the buildings with a pump, but this is the second time it has washed through.
The occupants are all owners and are staying in motels or with family while the flats are repaired, but Hair said all three were considering not coming back because of the flooding issues.
Hair wants to sell, but is afraid the market value could have dropped, because it is flood prone.
‘‘I came here because it’s got beautiful afternoon sun, but you can’t live like this.
‘‘You don’t expect in your retirement to invest your life savings and to find out every two years you’ll get tossed out of there for six weeks to a motel, through what should have been fixed way back.’’
At the north end of town, Blue Bell Motel owner Rohan Teaz said floodwaters entered his garage and DVD theatre on Wednesday and he was only just able to get his car out in time.
‘‘It’s three times in two years. It’s gone through the theatre the other couple of times. It cost about $15,000 last year and it could be close to $20,000 this time.’’
Teaz said he had contacted Horowhenua District Council a number of times in the past two years to ask for something to be done and felt nothing had happened.
Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen said the issue predates his term, but is a serious problem. He met with engineers and residents to talk about it on Friday and said ‘‘everyone was working well’’ toward a solution.
‘‘The stormwater pipes are designed to cope with most rainfall events, but this was another exceptional case,’’ Horowhenua District Council water services engineer Maurice Mcgunnigle said.
About 30 millimetres of rain fell between 3am and 6am on Wednesday, which a Metservice meteorologist said is described as ‘‘heavy’’, but not ‘‘torrential’’ rain.
A stormwater-catchment plan was being developed for inclusion in the stormwater infrastructure strategy, Mcgunnigle said.