SUTHERLAND Shire Council has adopted a mayoral minute seeking an urgent building condition report on the clubhouse at Scylla Oval, Como, amid claims it is being flooded by sewage after heavy rain.
The council adopted the mayoral minute as part of its 2015-16 budget on Monday night, with an amendment moved by Councillor Hassan Awada asking that the development process for the new clubhouse begin immediately.
A report on funding models to expedite work on a new clubhouse was also requested.
Mayor Kent Johns said 170 submissions had been received from parents of children who play for Como Jannali Junior Rugby League Football Club asking for funds to be allocated in the 2015-16 budget to rebuild the clubhouse.
Como Jannali Junior Rugby League Club Treasurer Jinks was last week standing by a building report the club commissioned.
Mr Jinks said the club recently asked building inspector Brett Matterson, whose son plays for the club, to investigate. He said he found that during heavy rain sewage was coming up through the toilets in the clubhouse building, running through the canteen and out on to the field used by junior players.
Mr Jinks said the problem had been occurring for years but it only became evident last year that the stench which followed flash flooding was caused by sewage.
The club had been locked in negotiations with the council for nine years to rebuild the dilapidated clubhouse but plans had only recently been approved.
The project will cost about $1 million and will include raising the level of the new clubhouse to prevent flooding. However, the money has not been earmarked until the 2018-19 financial year, something Mr Jinks says is unacceptable considering the adverse health implications for its members and the wider community.
Mr Jinks said a number of parents had reported their children had suffered skin infections that could be linked to the sewage. He said far more serious health risks were possible, while another child suffered anxiety since being caught inside the clubhouse as it was flooding.
"Basically, the clubhouse is very old and decrepit and it floods eight to nine times a year," he said.
"When that happens sewage comes up through the floor waste in the toilet.
"We have got a food-serving area with poo flooding through it.
"It stands to reason that it then gets outside. We have had a number of kids with skin infections. All we want is for council to fix it.
"We have got no change rooms for away teams so you have got children and men undressing together outside."
Mr Jinks claimed a Sutherland Shire councillor acknowledged there was a problem when the club forwarded the building report two weeks ago.
He said parents and supporters had sent about 300 emails to the council calling for urgent action.
Mr Jinks said the council dug up a section of grass on the field last week and discovered a problem with the sewerage pipe.
Cronulla Sharks Junior Rugby League is the governing body of the local competition. Its secretary Judd O'Shea said he heard about allegations of sewage overflows in recent weeks and had been liaising with the club and the council ever since.
He fielded calls from concerned parents since media reports emerged but while he believed the oval was safe to play on, the allegations needed to be thoroughly investigated.
"The kids' safety is paramount," he said.
"I have seen the report from the building inspector. If his comments are correct it is a concern.
"If it is true we need to know and we need to know now. The council has given us a 100 per cent assurance that the ground is not polluted [but] I think the council should do a full investigation."
Mr O'Shea said the council had told him Sydney Water had ruled out sewage contamination of the field and he had requested a copy of the supporting documentation.
COUNCIL COMMENT
A council spokeswoman said: ‘‘Council has completed two repairs to the sewerage system at Scylla Oval. Neither was a broken sewerage pipeline. One was a seized reflux valve and the other a cracked inspection point.
‘‘Council cannot confirm that these were responsible for the leaks claimed by the club.
‘‘Due to the length of time since the heavy storms (over a month), council is confident there is no bacterial contamination at the site.
‘‘Any bacteria on the oval would have been killed by UV rays (sunlight) and council has thoroughly cleaned the clubhouse.’’
