RURAL City of Wangaratta councillors are tomorrow expected to award a multi–million dollar contract to upgrade levee banks as part of flood mitigation works for the city.
A recommendation before councillors at their August monthly meeting calls for the awarding of the contract to upgrade flood levees to local company Cooks Earthmoving Laser Landforming Pty Ltd.
The works include removal and reconstruction of portions of the levee bank on Wilson and Parfitt roads and construction of sealed walking tracks on the crest of sections of the levee bank.
The report to council says the levee upgrade works are required to "address identified deficiencies associated with the height of the levee bank".
The report says the levee at Merriwa Park is not part of the works and will be tendered at a later stage.
Council has received $3.5 million (GST exclusive) in funding via the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP), National Flooding Mitigation Infrastructure Program to upgrade all three flood levees.
It has also committed a cash contribution of $1.8 million (GST exclusive) as part of the 2022/23 adopted budget providing a total project budget of $5.3M (GST exclusive).
The report says the upgrade of the flood levee will "benefit local residents by reducing the risk of flooding".
The works proposed require the removal or pruning of native vegetation in close proximity to the levee batters to ensure the integrity of the levee bank is maintained.
Tomorrow's monthly council meeting will be held in the council chambers in Ovens Street from 3pm and it is open to the public to attend, and will also be live streamed on its Youtube channel.
