Electricity and gas
Electricity safety
Power is being restored as quickly as possible.
Safety inspections must be completed by a licensed electrician before supply can be restored to individual properties. Contact Master Electricians Australia on 1300 889 198 or visit www.masterelectricians.com.au for licensed contractors.
Gas safety
All LPG and natural gas installations and cylinders must be checked by a licensed gas fitter before supply can be restored.
Contact your local gas supplier for assistance to find a licensed gas fitter or the Queensland Government's Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate:
- Southern Queensland phone 3238 3784
- Central Queensland phone 4938 4682
- Northern Queensland phone 4760 7411
Solar panel safety
Solar panels will continue to generate electricity even if the home is disconnected from the supply.
Solar panels can produce a shock of up to 240 volts - more than enough to kill someone - and flood victims with solar panels need to contact their electrician or solar technician before returning to their home.
If you cannot get onto your original installer then contact a qualified electrician who has experience in DC electrical generation.
Hardship
For flood affected customers and regions, energy retailers have agreed to:
- suspend collection and billing activities
- offer instalment plans once billing resumes
- give urgent attention by hardship teams
- work with distributors to waive fees associated with abolishing meters or disconnection requests
- prioritise any meter abolishment and disconnection requests
- suspend marketing and sales activities.
This applies to:
- AGL
- Origin
- TRUenergy
- Energy Australia
- Integral Energy
- Country Energy
- Lumo Energy
- APG
- Momentum Energy
- Ergon
- QEnergy
Contact your retailer to confirm what assistance is available.
Water
Water supply
Water supplies for Ipswich, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are safe and secure.
Water supply is progressively being restored to Lockyer and Somerset Regional Council areas. Queensland Urban Utilities recommends water is boiled and has supplied bottled water to affected towns.
Queensland Urban Utilities
www.urbanutilities.com.au
Emergency - 13 23 64
General enquiries - 13 26 57
Unitywater
www.unitywater.com
Emergencies - 5431 8333
Moreton Bay region - 5495 3333
Sunshine Coast region - 5475 7270
Hardship
Flood affected Brisbane ratepayers will receive a $100 rebate on their water bill to assist with the clean up.
Brisbane City Council
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Ph 3403 8888
Queensland Urban Utlities will provide 20 kilolitres of free water to flood-affected residents and small businesses in Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Scenic Rim. The rebate will be applied to the April accounts.
For flood affected residents in south east Queensland, contact your water supplier to confirm what assistance is available.
Flood recovery information
For information on support available for those affected:
Queensland Government
www.qld.gov.au/floods
Department of Community Services
www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/community/community-recovery/support-assistance/
Queensland Health
www.health.qld.gov.au
Problems with insurance, finance or telecommunication providers
Financial Ombudsman Service - flood hotline
The Financial Ombudsman Service has set up a dedicated hotline for flood victims seeking help and information on financial hardship, insurance claims and other financial issues experienced as a result of the floods.
1800 337 444
gidisaster@fos.org.au
www.fos.org.au
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman - flood hotline
1800 046 686
disaster@tio.com.au
www.tio.com.au