Crisis Management is one of the most important preparatory procedures you might go through when considering the management of your water scheme. This was a theme highlighted to the extreme at the North Queensland Conference by the arrival of Cyclone Jasper which changed the game for many of our North Queensland councils.
In the wake of cyclone Jasper, we have been rudely reminded of the importance of crisis management, with the event providing a reality check.
At the recent North Queensland Conference hosted by Whitsunday and Mackay Regional Councils, many were given the opportunity to share their stories with our technical experts. One of those speakers was the CEO of Douglas Shire Council who shared her experience in dealing with the cyclone’s impact, both during and in the aftermath of this event.
So what happened when Cyclone Jasper hit?
Cyclone Jasper was a very unexpected weather event that seemed to catch us off-guard. Early predictions from the BOM forecasted three days of intense rain before everything returned to normal, yet in that time councils would be hit with flash flooding, cyclonic winds and tumultuous coastal activity.
In reality, the intense rain lasted 7 days, and no one could prepare for the aftermath of this time.
The speaker described her attempts to use the crisis management procedures they had in place as paling in comparison to the real thing. The CEO was forced to take action and make decisions without consulting their management procedures – which didn’t seem to help in the actual event. She described the necessary change in attitude that occurred:
- “Ask for forgiveness, not permission.”
- “Hope for the best, but expect the worst.”
While sticklers for process might freak out over this applied action, I think we can all agree that a time in need causes for action, whether it is according to procedure or not.
What were the facts that impacted their decision making?
Douglas Shire Council had been subject to a loss of water on four separate occasions after the cyclone hit.
They also encountered some difficulties with their environment. They had 3 water schemes in the council, and as the cyclone hit and networks were broken, they realised that these schemes were unconnected. Their environment also has the unique feature of including 2 world heritage areas, which would need to be considered and cared for in the process.
The aftermath:
- A second river mouth opened up for the Mossman River
- Water had to be shut off
- Turbidity NTU up to 70/80 NTU during cyclone & stayed there. Jumps back up every time it rains.
- The chemical composition of the water changed.
The impact of these changes will be felt at the council for a while, especially with the water composition change, causing issues with filtering at the WTPs. It is unknown whether this change is temporary or indefinite. What’s important however is that they have plans in place for improvement, getting back to normal and reassessing their Crisis Management Plans.
