Time to streamline water agencies

WITH summer and, hopefully, prolonged spells of dry, sunny weather ahead, the thought of floods must be the last thing on people’s minds.

Last winter’s disastrous events in many parts of the country has gone off the news radar, but the challenge of minimising the likelihood of the catastrophe recurring – and ensuring a better plan is in place to deal with such an eventuality – remains.

Chief executive of the Heritage Council, Michael Starrett, says we must plan now to avoid a repeat of the crisis with which many affected individuals, and the numerous authorities that have varying levels of responsibility for, found almost impossible to cope with.