What must happen before you can move back in?
The priority for the multi-agency response is to get people back into their homes, however each property needs to be assessed to ensure that the house is habitable and that the on-site sewerage system is functioning and can accept effluent.
There is still water rising into parts of the Stuarts Point exclusion zone. Manual pumping of this water will occur 24 hours a day while it continues to rise however this will continue to have an impact on several homes.
If your home is no longer affected by rising ground water and is within the exclusion zone there are criteria that need to be assessed before your home can be declared safe to live in and the evacuation order removed.
Those criteria are:
- Is there water on the site?
- Has the home been inundated?
- Is the home structurally sound?
- Is the septic system for the home operational?
Fire and Rescue, NSW SES and Kempsey Shire Council are working together to ensure every affected home is deemed safe before people can return.
How do I find out when my house is safe?
The results from inspections are being collated daily. When your home has been assessed as safe you will be contacted and advised that the hazmat tape has been removed and it is safe to return to your home.
At some properties there may be a short-term requirement to pump out septic tanks until such time as the onsite system can operate normally. This pumping will be organised via the multi-agency response efforts, in addition to the ongoing pump work to reduce the ground water levels.
Everyone who was evacuated was expected to register with Disaster Welfare on Friday night, whether temporary accommodation was required or not.
