Mr O’Dwyer said any major upgrading was going to have to go back to people to pay for it.
Council may have to concentrate all its capital works funding during one council year on drainage works, he said.
Cr Ian Prendergast agreed that council and the staff had done everything possible to cope with the recent storm, however called for the drainage system to be upgraded.
Cr Prendergast said he realised the difficulties involved in coping with exceptionally large storms, however the system should be able to cope with 25 or 50 mm of rain, which it could not.
The system had not been significantly upgraded in years and council needed to look at all its options and commit itself to doing something about the situation, he said.
Cr Prendergast said council needed to use Mr Campbell’s ideas to develop a drainage plan for the borough, as well as developing a plan with the RWC for drainage in the Tate drive industrial estate.
“The onus is on us as council and officers to develop a better system for the ratepayers”, he said.
Cr Alan Wilson said Kerang was located in a holly and over the years the borough staff had done a great job coping with storm situations, however the system needed to be addressed.
Cr Wilson said council needed to develop a master plan and inform ratepayers about what it intended to do.
Council needed to start with the worst areas and then update the entire town, he said.
Cr John Campbell suggested that council leave the matter with
“The system must be upgraded but we can’t do it at the snap of our fingers,” he said.
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