Recovery from Storms and Floods
Impacted by floods and storms? Find the right support for you.
Support and assistance is available for individuals and businesses that have been impacted by flooding and storm events.
The quickest way to find the support available to you is by visiting the Disaster Assistance Finder, visiting your nearest flood recovery centre, or calling Service NSW on T 13 77 88 or visiting the Service NSW storm and flood customer care website.
Available support includes:
Financial Assistance
For information on all available disaster assistance, please contact the Disaster Customer Care Service at Service NSW on T 13 77 88 or online via service.nsw.gov.au
Service NSW is working in partnership with other State agencies, local government and the Australian Government to provide impacted people with information on and access to:
- Accommodation advice
- Relevant charitable services
- Mental health and wellbeing services
- Support for businesses
- Clean-up services
- Financial assistance
- Insurance and legal support
The Contact Centre hours have been extended to between 7am and 7pm and to weekends while communities recover.
The Disaster Relief Grant helps people to recover from the effects of a disaster and re-establish a basic standard of living. It is not provided to replace insurance or compensate for losses.
You may be eligible for financial support if the following apply:
- your home (primary place of residence) was damaged by a natural disaster
- you do not have insurance for the damage
- you are a low-income earner with limited financial resources
- it has been less than four (4) months since the disaster.
Phone T 13 77 88 and ask about the Disaster Relief Grant administered by Resilience NSW.
This is an NSW Government disaster assistance payment available at any time to eligible individuals or households.
The Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off, non-means tests payment of $1,000 for adults and $400 for children, who have been seriously injured, lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or the immediate family members of a person who has lost their life, as a direct result of the storms and floods.
This is an Australian Government disaster assistance payment.
Visit Services Australia at www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/disaster to find out if you are eligible, or phone T 180 22 66.
The Disaster Recovery Allowance provides a short-term income support payment to assist individuals whose income has been affected as a direct result of the storms and floods, for up to 13 weeks.
This is an Australian Government disaster assistance payment.
Visit Services Australia at www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/disaster to find out if you are eligible, or phone T 180 22 66.
Replacing lost documents
The NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages can assist with the replacement of Birth, Death and Change of Name certificates, waiving associated replacement fees for Australia and New Zealand born citizens.
Phone Service NSW on T 13 77 88 or visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/births-deaths-marriages.
Insurance
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) may declare a catastrophe following significant storms and floods.
A declaration will assist in prioritising the insurance industry’s response for affected policyholders and if you are a policyholder and need to make an insurance claims, you can expect to be given priority by insurers.
For advice and guidance phone the ICA hotline on T 1800 734 621.
Note: Claims cannot be made via this hotline.
Legal Aid
For help with legal problems including insurance claims and disputes, financial hardship, tenancy and Centrelink, visit the Disaster Response Legal Service at disasterhelp.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/how-we-can-help or phone 1800 801 529 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Livestock and Animal Welfare
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Local Land Services (LLS) are aiding landholders and communities with animal welfare-related issues resulting from the floods, including:
- Animal assessment and veterinary assistance
- Stock euthanasia and burial
- Emergency fodder
- Emergency stock water (where there is an immediate animal welfare concern)
- Livestock feeding and management advice
- Care of animals in evacuation centres
Phone the Agricultural and Animal Services Hotline on T 1800 814 647.
Help for small business
The NSW Small Business Commissioner has support services for small business owners who have suffered direct damage to their assets or loss of income following statewide flooding.
Loans at a fixed concessional interest rate may be available to small businesses, primary producers and non-profits (subject to certain eligibility criteria) that have been directly impacted.
For information on what supports are available visit www.smallbusiness.nsw.gov.au or phone T 1300 795 534.
Mental Health Support
The NSW Government recognises the trauma associated with disasters and recognises early treatment can make significant long differences to mental health.
Recovery from disasters takes time and mental health supports will aid the long-term recovery of our impacted communities.
Phone the NSW Mental Health Line at any time on T 1800 011 511.
Find local mental health supports in the Singleton and surrounding Hunter area.
Primary Producers
Local Land Services
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services work together to manage the effects of emergencies on agriculture, livestock and our community as Agriculture and Animal Services Functional Area AASFA.
They have a dedicated hotline for producers to call to report damage and stock losses, as well as request emergency assistance. The AASFA Hotline is T 1800 814 647 and is operating 9 5pm all week.
Available help includes:
- Emergency fodder for livestock
- Veterinary assessment and advice
- Euthanasia and burial for animals
Primary producers who are now starting to gain access to their paddocks are encouraged to report damage, including stock and fodder losses, as well as damage to farms, fencing and other farm infrastructure.
Livestock Welfare
Floodwaters and wet conditions can cause a wide range of livestock health issues, even for some time after the waters have subsided.
Livestock that have been standing in water for some time, or that have been submerged, are most at risk of developing disease issues and should be monitored closely.
Ensuring your livestock have access to adequate food and water is the number one priority. During this time, it is also vital that producers monitor for signs of disease in their livestock.
Information on what to look out for can be found here.
If you notice any signs of disease or illness please contact your local district vet on T 1300 795 299 or call the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on T 1800 678 593.
Caring for horses after floods
Once flood waters recede and the clean up begins on your property, it is important to monitor your horses for any signs of illness or injury.
If your horse has been directly affected by flooding, submerged or standing in floodwaters for long periods of time it can lead to several health issues It is important to assess them as soon as possible, make sure they have clean water to drink and access to food and shelter
For more information on how to care for horses after floods, click here.
Pasture recovery after floods
Damage to pastures can range from minor sediment deposition, through to deep sedimentation of silt, sand or gravel deposits on pastures, erosion of topsoil, scalding and total loss of existing pasture.
Local Land Services has developed a helpful fact sheet to guide your recovery. Download it here.
Managing erosion before and after floods
There are a range of measures land managers can undertake to repair erosion damage after floods.
Local Land Services has developed a helpful fact sheet to guide your recovery. Download it here.
Cleaning up after storms and floods
It's important to keep your health and safety in mind and know how to reduce risks when cleaning up after storms and floods.
Cleaning your property
- Do not enter a damaged building or structure, unless deemed safe to do so by authorities.
- Contact your insurance company directly and take plenty of photos of any property and contents damage before removing and disposing of items.
- If removing/moving waste, remember to practice basic hygiene and use appropriate personal protective equipment including dust mask, gloves, covered shoes/boots and full-length clothing cover for arms and legs.
- If using disinfectants and/or other cleaners, follow safety advice on labels and do not touch eyes and face.
- Be alert to snakes, spiders, rats and other wildlife that may have taken refuge in the building, structure or furniture.
- Each area affected by floodwater within the building needs to be cleaned and dried. This includes fridges and cupboards. Wall and floor cavities should be checked for mud, debris and floodwater. If items are not completely dry mould or mildew may develop.
- Floodwater may be contaminated with sewage and chemicals. Contact with floodwater can lead skin and stomach infections and other rare but serious conditions such as leptospirosis.
Mould
Flood-inundated homes and buildings provide the perfect conditions for mould to grow.
People with asthma, allergies, or other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mould. People with weakened immune systems and with chronic lung diseases are more at risk of mould infection particularly in their lungs.
For advice visit Mould - Fact Sheet.
Mosquito Infestations
During periods of flooding mosquito numbers could rapidly increase and cause nuisance.
Personal protection measures include:
- avoid going outside when mosquitoes are most prevalent, including around dawn and dusk
- use an effective repellent on exposed skin areas
- cover up as much as possible with loose fitting clothing and sensible footwear
- limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water or by emptying the containers
- provide mosquito netting, where necessary—both indoors and outdoors
Other information and fact sheets
The following fact sheets have been supplied by NSW Health, which provide information and advice for maintaining your health during and after storms and floods.
Wastewater Management Systems
Major storm and/or flood events are likely to affected wastewater management systems.
If your AWTS or Septic has been covered by flood waters or has been inundated by stormwater, it is likely that the system is a risk to public health.
The uncontrolled ingress of stormwater into a septic tank can flood untreated wastewater out of the tank and into the surrounding environment and waterways.
Disease-causing organisms (pathogens) in wastewater can cause serious illness such as hepatitis. Waterborne pathogens can then be widespread once in water and can have major impacts on public health.
What to do prior to an emergency event
- Sand banking or drainage works around the treatment tank to prevent ingress of stormwater into the system.
- Prevent any traffic (human, animal or vehicular) onto the disposal area, this may damage disposal systems and may be saturated with untreated effluent. If you have an Aerated Wastewater Treatment System (AWTS) it is important to ensure the power is off to the system before conducting any works.
What to do after an emergency event
In the event that your onsite wastewater system has overflowed or flooded from a storm event
- Do not access wastewater tank or disposal area if the tank has overflowed or flooded. These areas may be contaminated with untreated sewage which may pose a risk to your health and safety.
- Organise a pump-out of the AWTS or septic system to ensure all untreated effluent is removed. Discuss with operator of the pump-out vehicle methods to ensure that the tank does not float out of the ground especially when the surrounding soil is saturated (for both AWTS and Septic Systems).
- If you have an Aerated Wastewater Treatment System immediate contact should be made to your service provider to conduct an emergency service on the system. All service reports are to be sent to Council immediately following the service.
- After the pump-out of the system cleaning of the tank and surround area is required. This can be done by spreading lime or diluting visible matter with water after the storm event.
- Ensure that there is no likelihood of contamination of drinking water from the flooded septic.
Can I still use my toilet?
It is recommended that you still use your toilet and facilities connected to the wastewater system as usual.
Do not dispose of untreated wastewater in any other way.
However reduction of effluent into the system is recommended until the system returns to normal operating standards.
Reducing the amount of toilet flushes and showers is preferable.
Sign up for our Creating Resilient Communities Newsletter