Joe Spano, whose property abuts the open channel and inlet to a pipe drain, posted images of torrents of water flowing into the drain following heavy rain  in the region last week.

The Courier met Mr Spano at the site and were shown how the heavy volume of waste water had bent a steel grate covering the pipe inlet backwards, allowing access into the pipe.

That grate was straight last week, before the rain,” Mr Spano said.

“You can see how heavy the water was, to bend it like that.”

Mr Spano’s partner also pointed out the inadequacy of lighting around the open inlet, with a single streetlamp on a telegraph pole some metres from the concrete and stone culvert.

“It’s pitch black out here at night,” Mr Spano said.

“If you fell into that, you could lie there all night and no-one would know.”

While The Courier was speaking to Mr Spano, three young boys came down the channel from the soccer oval end.

One was bragging how he jumped over the flooding waters during the rainstorms last week.

Another slipped into the channel as the children were playing on the muddy bank.

While the brick culvert at the head of the channel has ‘no entry’ signs attached to it, there are no signs warning of dangers to the public when the channel is running.

Ballarat City Council released a short statement Monday afternoon.

In response to The Courier’s questions about safety and longer term plans to cover the drain, the council stated: “The City of Ballarat’s previous assessments have determined the creek to not be inherently dangerous.  

“However, community safety is the City of Ballarat’s top priority and a further review of the creek will be undertaken.

“Following a review, a grate will be placed over the pipe inlet.

“The City of Ballarat’s entire drainage network will be examined following recent floods.”