Donna Liddington
When it rains, Donna Liddington fears for her home, business and livestock.
Donna Liddington says there’s nowhere for water overflowing onto her property from a roadside culvert to go.
Liddington has operated the Horse and Hound Shop from Cambridge Road, between Cambridge and Te Awamutu, for 20 years and has suffered regular flooding of the low-lying property for the last decade.
She and the Waipā District Council have differing views on the problem.
Liddington says rainwater runs off the road into an open council culvert choked with blackberries and rubbish and a blockage behind her property causes it to overflow onto her property
On the last occasion, in last month’s heavy rain, the flood water lapped at the door of her home and business.
“It came over my gumboots and was one metre deep in places,” Liddington said.
The flood prompted her to move her cattle, horses and sheep to two paddocks on her property that did not flood. It took weeks for the flood water to recede.
The water had damaged paddocks, impacting her ability to make silage, and also caused damage to fencing.
“My place is low lying, so all water comes my way there is nowhere for it to go. Drains are meant to flow, and council need to supply somewhere for the water to flow to.”
Council water services manager Karl Pavlovich said he understood Liddington’s concerns about flooding and debris in the drain near her property.
He said the council has looked into the issue “thoroughly over the past two years”, including a detailed investigation completed in September.
“The flooding on her property is linked to a private drainage network, which means it’s the property owner’s responsibility to maintain,” he said.
“Our investigations also found that water from the road flows away from the property, not towards it.
“Council crews will continue to clear rubbish from public stormwater drains in the area as part of our regular maintenance programme. We encourage all property owners to keep private drains clear to help prevent blockages and localised flooding.”
Donna Liddington is pleased waters have receded on her Cambridge Road property between Cambridge and Te Awamutu.
