With extreme floods on the rise, Bathurst Regional Council is taking steps to protect one of its most critical assets: its Wastewater Treatment Plant.
To support its efforts, Council has engaged FM Affiliated, Statewide Mutual’s property underwriter, to help strengthen its flood response planning – and be ready if the unimaginable becomes reality.
Preparing for future floods today
Bathurst Regional Council’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) is located next to the Macquarie-Wambuul River. So it’s no surprise that since its construction in 1916, it has weathered several major floods – including multiple 1-in-100-year events.
But with climate patterns shifting and extreme weather becoming more frequent, a new question has emerged: What happens if a 1-in-500-year flood hits?
Rather than wait and see, Council is taking decisive steps to strengthen flood planning through a partnership with Statewide Mutual and our lead property reinsurer, FM Affiliated (FM).
Expert support from FM Affiliated
As a property insurance and risk engineering specialist, FM is Statewide’s key partner in helping councils build resilience against flood, fire and storm risks. The firm takes an engineering-led approach to risk, offering expert support that goes beyond insurance.
Some of FM’s property protection services include:
- Site inspections
- Flood engineering consultancy
- Design reviews
- Tailored risk advice
FM’s support is a key part of Statewide’s Property Scheme, ensuring our members have coverage and the confidence to plan ahead.
Identifying gaps for a stronger plan
When FM engineers visited the WTP earlier this year, they found that several council documents addressed flood-related risks. But these documents weren’t centralised into one operational document.
On FM’s advice, Council is now reviewing the documents and planning to integrate a formal FERP (Flood Emergency Response Plan) into its current site risk framework.
Assessing risks and predicting impacts
Bathurst Regional Council has built up valuable local knowledge from previous floods. But preparing for an unprecedented 1-in-500-year event is a whole new challenge.
FM is helping Council understand the likely impacts of such an event – and what can be done to reduce risk and minimise disruption.
Once these risks are assessed, Council will incorporate them into the FERP to ensure it is ready for even the most extreme scenarios.
Because a well-developed FERP isn’t just about responding to floods when they happen. It’s about being proactive in protecting essential infrastructure, minimising financial risk and ensuring councils are able to deliver essential services to the community – even in the midst of a crisis.
Need help strengthening your flood planning or reviewing your existing FERP? We can connect you with FM for specialist support.
Speak to your Regional Risk Manager today to learn more.