In Cornwallis, striking images of abandoned pipes lying unused on the riverbank vividly illustrate an ongoing disaster. The Hawkesbury City Council's (HCC) inaction has transformed what should have been a straightforward repair into a significant environmental and economic crisis.

Four years after the collapse of the river levee and drain, the Cornwallis Canyon remains trapped in a tangled web of bureaucratic delays, posing a constant threat of financial loss to businesses and farmers, as well as serious risks to both life and livestock with each flooding event.

A local resident sent these photos to The Hawkesbury Post, showcasing $1 million worth of pipes that were intended for repairs but were found to be the wrong size. These pipes, purchased two years ago, have become a stark reminder of the council’s mismanagement, economic loss and the ongoing frustration to repair the collapsed river levee, a life saving protection during floods.

HCC says it will replace the pipes with a new set of box culverts, costing $1.6 million. Despite earlier assurances that all the pipes would be reused, tender documents reveal that 42 of them are slated for crushing and disposal, raising further questions about waste and inefficiency in the project.

As we reported last month, the long-awaited $18.7 million repair project, which began nearly four years ago, has faced yet another setback, with completion unlikely before 2026. HCC secured funding for the project through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements in December 2023, which includes $8.2 million for a new road and $13.5 million for riverbank and drainage reconstruction. 

Despite securing the necessary funding, the project is now held up by the tender process. A four-week tender was issued in June 2024, more than three years after the damage occurred in March 2021. 

HCC and Public Works shortlisted six companies and appeared ready to select Jeffsann Excavations, people familiar with the tender process told The Hawkesbury Post. Jeffsann Excavations, a local company, had been assisting private landholders with restoration of the damage that occurred to their properties due to the collapsed drain and river levee.

Jeffsann's proposal of $13.5 million was $2 million lower than that of Sutherland-based Haslin Constructions. However, in an unexpected turn, Public Works ruled that Jeffsann was disqualified from handling contracts over $9 million, despite previously encouraging the business, just three months earlier, to submit a bid for the job.

Neither HCC nor Public Works have commented on the abrupt change in decision. A resident familiar with the situation told the Hawkesbury Post that, due to these ongoing setbacks, it’s likely work in Cornwallis won’t begin until March or April 2025, just as flooding risks peak, potentially extending the timeline into 2026.