Tweed mayor Barry Longland said yesterday that despite water, power and sewerage outages, and with many outlying residents still cut-off, ‘overall, you’d have to say the Tweed has been lucky in missing what could have been a major flood and widespread devastation’.
Cr Longland said, nevertheless, ‘there would no doubt be many tales of individual hardship and damage to properties, businesses and agricultural crops across the Tweed’.
‘The flood has been moderate, with the Tweed River peaking at 4.6 metres at Murwillumbah on Monday and reaching 1.85 metres at Chinderah yesterday,’ he said.
Water and sewerage
There are still problems with water supply and sewer services in Uki and Tyalgum. Tweed Shire Council (TSC) staff are providing a minimum supply of drinking water to these villages. Tumbulgum sewerage system is not operational due to inundation.
Residents of Uki and Tyalgum are asked to minimise their town-water use. Tumbulgum residents are requested to minimise sewer use by taking shorter showers, reducing toilet flushing and delaying clothes washing.
TSC staff are working on problems at the Lavender Creek pump station in Murwillumbah, which stopped pumping on Monday night. Pumps are now operating on manual controls.
There are a number of sewer overflows in Banora Point, Kingscliff and Murwillumbah.
‘While sewer overflows do pose a potential health risk, these are not significant,’ Cr Longland said.
‘However, it is a timely reminder that no-one should swim or wade through floodwater unnecessarily for many reasons, as there could be submerged objects, debris, or contamination from a variety of sources,’ he said.
