Brisbane Markets Limited (BML) is putting in place strategies to improve response times during and after flood events as part of a robust flood mitigation strategy at Brisbane Markets.
One of the key learnings from the 2022 flood event is that infrastructure and services recovery is contingent on lead times for components comprising tenancy distribution boards, main building boards and dock levellers.
“Supply chain impacts can delay the arrival and increase the cost of the critical parts and spares needed to reestablish Markets services,” said BML Managing Director and CEO, Andrew Young.
“This is especially the case when a natural disaster impacts the majority of the eastern seaboard of Australia.”
To reduce the impact of future delays, considerable work has been undertaken by BML to purchase, sort and pack a repository of the critical spares required to facilitate immediate repairs to electrical, sewer and dock leveller infrastructure. These critical spares are stored above peak flood levels and are reserved for natural disaster recovery works only.
“The stockpiling of critical spares will help our Tenants get up and running as fast as possible after a natural disaster, by progressing restoration works without extended lead times and at a reasonable price point,” said Mr Young.
Another crucial component of BML’s flood mitigation strategy is the implementation of an early warning system to provide increased information during a flooding event.
Works are underway for new flood monitoring systems at the lowest areas in the Northern Industrial and South Gate Precincts of the Brisbane Markets, which are intended to record accurate Australian Height Datum (AHD) flood water levels.
The flood monitoring system will take into account tidal information, plus predictive data on peak flood levels based on current rainfall, and information on when the Markets will become accessible to vehicles.
