The ongoing issue of surface flooding at the intersection of Anderson Road and Aubrey Road is still on the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) work plan, but a Wānaka councillor has suggested an approach to maintenance until the issue is resolved.

Rain on Wednesday evening this week (October 26) led to a large pond across the left hand lane of Anderson Road at the intersection by Thursday morning.

When the Wānaka App drove through at lunch time on Thursday there were no warning signs in place.

QLDC Wānaka ward councillor Lyal Cocks said he was contacted by a resident on Thursday morning concerned about the flooding and lack of warning signage to alert road users.

“I put a request to council staff to take action to mitigate the flooding with signage and have a contractor pump out the water/remove the water with a sucker truck,” Lyal said.

“The stormwater system is clearly not working satisfactorily and hasn’t for some time with flooding occurring at this intersection just about every time it rains.

“And that’s not good enough.”

QLDC spokesperson Sam White told the Wānaka App the council’s infrastructure team is currently working on a design for the corner that includes a drainage solution.

“This is a joint council-private project given part of the proposed solution would be completed on private land.”

Sam said there is a budget in the current Ten Year Plan set aside for 2023-2024 “subject to the relevant approvals in the interim”.

Lyal said he looked forward to the new Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board being briefed on the project soon.  

“Until the cause of the stormwater overflow is fixed, however, I have suggested to council that the appropriate contractor be prepared when rain is forecast to reduce the impact of the flooding on road users by better managing the flood waters, in the same way council contractors prepare to clear and maintain the Crown Range when snow is forecast.”

PHOTO: Wānaka App