Rebuilding, repairing and cleaning up after a flood
Knowing where to begin following a disaster can be really overwhelming.
To know what steps to take once you are out of danger, the NSW Government has formulated a guide on what to do immediately after a flood. They also provide information on how to avoid injury, sickness or infection after a flood or storm on their website.
The Red Cross also has information on coping after a crisis on their website.
How to deal with mould
Post floods, the spread of mould can cause serious health issues. When dealing with mould, people need to ensure they tale the proper precautions and wear protective personal equipment (PPE), which may include gloves, eye protection and properly fitted disposable P2 respirator masks. For people who cannot deal with the mould themselves, there are remediation specialists who are experts in treating it.
NSW Health has a fact sheet on mould on their website and Safework NSW has information on mould in the workplace on their website.
How and when to deal with asbestos
Lismore City Council has developed a range of information resources on asbestos waste collection and disposal in our waste section.
There is information on the NSW EPA website about dealing with asbestos in flood-affected areas.
Free Property Assessment program (FPAP)
If your residential or commercial building was impacted by the February and March 2022 natural disaster and/or June and July 2022 floods, you can register to have a building assessment carried out by certified inspectors.
This is an opt-in program that will provide you with a free, detailed assessment report, including a comprehensive scope of repair works and an estimate of repair costs. After receiving your report, you are in control of what happens next.
If the assessment finds the property to be unsafe or beyond economical repair, you can choose to have demolition and removal of waste services undertaken at no cost.
Register here
For other comprehensive information on cleaning, rebuilding and repairing your homes, visit the NSW Government website on rebuilding or repairing.
Flood Contaminated Lands Assessment Program (Northern Rivers)
This program provides you with a free soil assessment for properties that may be contaminated as a result of floods.
Registrations for this program closed on 30 June 2023. The program was only for the Northern Rivers area of NSW.
For flood-related programs in other areas please visit Service NSW Emergencies and disasters.
Water quality monitoring program
The program involves comprehensive water quality monitoring in flood-affected local government areas with disaster declarations issued by the NSW Government in 2022. The program aids environmental recovery and will prioritise significantly impacted catchments.
Information gathered through the program will be used to better inform waterways managers and users of water quality, potential impacts on their activities, and to guide management decisions.
Benefits of the program
The program will support long term environmental recovery from flood events between February and July 2022 by:
- understanding the longer-term impacts of floods on water quality.
- working with communities and waterways users to ensure local needs for information about water quality are met.
- promoting evidence-based decision making and management.
- improving stakeholder ability to identify and manage potential risk associated with natural disasters.
- facilitating coordination and collaboration across agencies and programs.
For more information around the program, email enquiries.waterscience@environment.nsw.gov.au.
The NSW EPA website has more on the water quality monitoring program.