AGRN 1037 - Victorian Flood event commencing 6 October 2022 - Clean-up of debris

Eligible works

Council-led clean-up activities for residential households.

All flood waste and debris collected from residential areas for this flood event. This includes debris that stops the normal function of an essential public asset, that is, on local council owned:

• roads
• bridges, and
• culverts.

Fallen trees and green waste as well as the removal of trees (tree stumps) deemed too dangerous as a direct result of the floods.

The establishment, operation and decommissioning costs of temporary dump sites for disposing of flood debris.

Hazardous material (such as asbestos) exposed as a direct result of the floods located within or beyond the residential block, that poses a potential health and safety risk for the household.

Council staff or council engaged contractor/s undertaking works outside normal council hours

Note: For rural properties, the residential component is the area clearly identifiable as residential and not used for farming purposes (residential premise and immediate surroundings).

Kerbside clean-up

State coordinated flood clean-up activities undertaken by Johns Lyng Group, covers the collection of flood debris and waste from kerbsides within impacted residential areas (nature strips) or within a council nominated location and/or facility. This is to ensure that waste is disposed of by licenced contractors into licensed tipping sites.

Waste and debris that will be removed from kerbside or within a council nominated location and/or facility includes:

• carpets, whitegoods, damaged fixtures and furniture and other household goods
• cooking equipment and business-related materials, and goods
• liquids and rubbish material (bagged, boxed or contained)
• food and organic waste (contained).

Structural Assessment

Clean-up activities include hazard assessment and demolition of any severely damaged structures that have been destroyed or damaged beyond repair.

If a property contains an eligible structure for clean-up, the property will be assessed by the Johns Lyng Group for hazards under the following categories:

• Access to clean-up
• Hazards posing a risk to work crews or impending clean-up operations.

Councils opt into these programs and are registered through a customer relationship management system. To access this program, councils are requested to call 1800 560 760 (External link)

Property owners can engage with Disaster Relief Australia (External link) or their local councils to get assistance.

Council led, free flood waste collection points at local waste centres.

Note:

• Costs can be claimed under Category A of the DRFA (the net cost of the EPA waste levy/gate fee charge at these waste collection points).
• The council will need to show that the debris being claimed for is directly associated with the floods as opposed to normal collection of household and/or green waste from residents. 

Flood related debris that stops the normal function of an essential public asset, that is, on local council owned:

• roads
• bridges, and
• culverts.

Council staff or council engaged contractor/s undertaking works outside normal council hours.

Day labour relating to the use of council staff.

Note: councils are to refer to the evidentiary requirements section below for further information.

Kerbside clean-up

Removal of debris from inside impacted homes by Johns Lyng Group and/or local councils. Households are requested to separate items and place on their nature strips.

The removal of the following types of waste and debris:

• animal carcasses
• cars, boats, caravans and rainwater tanks over 2,000 litres
• known hazardous materials and carcinogens.

Structural Assessment

Works or activities relating to the demolition of eligible structures including: 

• The assessment and demolition of large industrial and large commercial facilities. Examples of excluded structures are:
  - abattoirs and canning facilities
  - sub-stations
  - supermarkets
  - commercial dairying facilities
  - distribution centres.
• The assessment and demolition of large administrative and government facilities including:
  - schools
  - council chambers
  - police stations
  - government hubs.
• Tennis courts, basketball courts and other private sports facilities.
• Where no damage has occurred to a structure as a result of the event .
• The general assessment and removal of organic and non-organic debris, waste or animal carcasses across a wider property.
• Legal costs.
• Removal of any contents (appliances, furnishings, vehicles).  Note: prior to demolition the property owner will have an opportunity to remove any contents they wish to keep. JLG and its contractors will not be removing these contents for the property owner.
• Fencing where the structure does not meet the eligibility criteria.
• Rehabilitation, restoration or resilience activities to restore flood damaged natural or built assets.
• Duplication of existing initiatives and recovery funding.  For example, where a small business owner has access to funding for the same works under an alternative grant, these works will not be implemented.

Day labour relating to the use of council staff.

Indirect costs and margins relating to waste centres.

Note: councils are to refer to the evidentiary requirements section below for further information.

Debris from streams, beyond that directly impacted on the essential public asset, that is, a bridge or culvert structure.

Removal of trees and/or tree stumps not directly damaged by the floods but not impacting on the functionality of an essential public asset, that is, powerlines.

Removal of non-disaster related debris from any assets.

Privately owned roads managed or maintained by councils.

Day labour relating to the use of council staff.

Note: Essential public assets do not include:

• community reserves
• public halls/memorials that are administered under a DELWP Committee of Management
• cemeteries and commercial properties
• parks
• fire access tracks
• rail trails, and
• state and national parks.

Councils are required to provide the following supporting documentation when seeking reimbursement for costs associated with the removal of debris from within the residential footprint of impacted private properties:

• a flood map from the Incident Control Centre/State Control Centre/council outlining where flooding incurred in the local government area to support the connection of this activity to the disaster
• a contractor/s invoice/s that clearly identify:
  - that the works were associated with the October floods (and ideally capturing AGRN 1037 Victoria October 2022 floods)
  - the date works occurred
  - the location (at minimum street level) where these works occurred. For example, October 2022 debris clean up on Smith Street, Rochester, 21 October 2022.

Where contract costs relate to a hazardous material clean-up such as asbestos, a hazard inspection report should also be provided.

Where council staff have undertaken the clean-up works, councils should provide approved timesheets/payroll reports/email trails. The information should detail the role and location of the employee undertaking these clean up works relating to the overtime being claimed for that employee.

Should flood mapping be unavailable, other information can be used including but not limited to the following:

• representative photos on a sample basis
• evacuation orders
• SES call/incident logs, or Council customer service requests.

Johns Lyng Group will implement appropriate record keeping protocols and will report back to the State and Commonwealth on progress of the works.

When lodging a claim Councils will need to record the actual address (at minimum street level address) from which the debris came from in an impacted local government area.

If councils have not recorded sufficient details, councils will need to work with their Department of Transport (DOT) Assessor to determine an apportionment approach.

Apportionment takes into account, normal household debris or flood related debris coming from other areas within the impacted local government area. This would involve evidence demonstrating the land use of the affected area (% of the township/community that is residential, parks/gardens/reserves or commercial).

The % relating to parks/gardens/reserves or commercial is not eligible under Category A of the DRFA and will be considered ineligible for reimbursement. The claim is only to be for the direct cost incurred and not capture any indirect costs and margins.

Councils will need to provide:

• a flood map from the Incident Control Centre/State Control Centre/council outlining where flooding incurred in the local government area to support the connection of this activity to the disaster
• the demographic data which illustrates the land use of the area (residential, parks/gardens/reserves and commercial)
• costs associated with expenditure incurred at the waste centre/collection point excluding any indirect costs and margins, as well as the apportionment approach agreed to with their DOT Assessor.

Councils will need to provide the following supporting documents including but not limited to:

• invoices
• photo reports for post disaster damage to be completed.

Councils will have 3 months from the commencement of the floods to undertake these works.

Should additional time be required, councils should advise their DOT Assessor and seek an extension to the allowable time period using this request form.

Kerbside clean-up

As street debris poses a significant health and hygiene risk to the community it is expected that all kerbside debris is removed within 4 months of recovery activities commencing. 

It is envisaged that all documentation and reporting will be completed with 18 months. 

Structural Assessment

The structural assessment clean-up program is likely to be a large and complex program. Registrations are open and the state engaged contractor has initiated structural assessments. 

It is currently envisaged that registrations will remain open for potentially up to one year (once a community has formerly transitioned to recovery).

Structural demolition will be completed no later than 30 June 2025.

Additional information

For more information regarding eligible costs associated with the removal of debris, councils should refer to the Victorian DRFA Guideline 3 for residential households.

For more information regarding eligible costs associated with the removal of debris, councils should refer to the Victorian DRFA Guideline 3 for residential households.

For more information regarding eligible costs associated with the removal of debris, councils should refer to the Victorian DRFA Guideline 1 for essential public assets.