ONE YEAR ON – From A River Of Wastewater To A Community Calling For Change

LET US TELL OUR STORY
When our street became a River

Neighbour Review 27 June 2026

One year ago, on 27 June 2025, our community experienced an event that many of us will never forget. Everyone has their own story of that day regarding the weather event, but this is ours. We also acknowledge and feel for everyone who has been affected by flooding and ongoing weather events in our region. In some ways, we understand what that feels like. The difference for us is that we do not live beside a river. We do not live beside the sea. We are simply a residential community living our lives and supporting one another. Yet on that day, our street became a river too. For us, it was not a river overflowing its banks. It was a river of wastewater flowing through our neighbourhood. That is our experience, and that is why we are telling our story.

When we knew a significant weather event was coming, we also knew what normally happened during heavy rain. For years, residents had become accustomed to hearing wastewater trucks arriving during weather events to manually pump the wastewater and help manage the system. On this day, the trucks did not come. Over the past year, we have repeatedly asked why. We have now heard on more than one occasion that a decision was made not to send them. As alarms sounded and raw sewage flowed through our streets, looking like a river, residents were left asking a simple question: Where were the trucks?

The impacts were felt across multiple residential streets, with Ledger Avenue bearing the greatest impact. As the day unfolded, the impacts became more serious. Residents experienced raw sewage contamination. Concerns were raised about contaminated bores. Some people became unwell. Over this time, people sought help and answers but often felt unheard.

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For us, the shock did not end when the water receded. What followed were concerns about contamination, health risks, bore water, and the wellbeing of people living across our residential streets. When raw sewage flows through residential streets, people do not simply return to normal the next day. Questions remain. Concerns remain. The stress remains. Many of us felt that we were the ones sounding the alarm bells for our own community, when those alarm bells should already have been ringing. We were the ones asking the questions. We were the ones seeking answers. We were the ones trying to understand the implications for our families, neighbours, pets, environment and future wellbeing. That is why, one year on, we continue to tell our story.

This is not simply about one day. This is about years of concern surrounding the Ledger Goodman wastewater pump station and the ongoing odour issues affecting those who live nearby. A formal complaint regarding the odour was made on 8 January 2026. By February 2026, many residents reported they could not comfortably open their windows or enjoy their outdoor areas. Through conversations with neighbours and long-term residents, it became clear that these concerns were not new. Many believe these issues have existed for well over 15 years.

The community's concerns extend beyond what can be described as a nuisance. Residents have raised questions about health, quality of life, wellbeing, environmental impacts, and the long-term effects of living alongside ongoing odour and wastewater issues. Residents have also expressed concern that records relating to these events have been placed on property files, despite residents being those affected by the events rather than those responsible for them.

Ledger Goodman Park should be a place of enjoyment, recreation, fresh air and community connection. A place where children can play and where the community can gather. We understand the park was gifted for the benefit of the community, and we believe that legacy deserves to be honoured.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking to be heard, respected, protected from avoidable harm, and provided with meaningful long-term solutions. We do not want a repeat of the June 2025 event. We do not want to spend another 10, 15 or 20 years discussing the same problems. We want solutions. We want a plan. We want confidence that the people responsible for serving the community are prepared to step up and protect it. It is time to step up. It is time to listen. It is time to act for the community.

Feebee Newlands and concerned residents

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