After an eight-year battle Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has agreed to address drainage issues which affect about 40 homes.

Every rain shower sends localised water run-off through properties on Ocean Dve and Fiona Cres.

While residents are thrilled the problem will be fixed, it will take at least a year before work is started.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Fiona Cres homeowner Sharyn Mealing.

“I’ve had the property for six years and when it rains my backyard suddenly has a waterfall feature.”

Lake Cathie Progress Association made the ongoing issue its highest priority in a letter to the council’s administrator Dick Persson earlier this year.

Association secretary Jack Jones said it was a “happy day when he could advise the residents a solution was on the way”.

“While the council has agreed to add the drainage installation to the rolling works program, residents will have to wait until funding becomes available,” he said.

“We have never stopped supporting the residents on this serious issue.”

The council’s natural resource manager Matt Rogers said it would cost about $70,000 to build inter-allotment drainage in existing easements.

This means properties on Ocean Dve will be able to connect roof water drains to the new pipes instead of letting it flow across the surface to Fiona Cres.

“Port Macquarie’s Belah Rd and Milton Circuit are two stormwater hotspots in the capital works list for this financial year,” Mr Rogers explained.

“We will consider Fiona Cres along with other stormwater hotspots further down the track.”

Mr Rogers said the council already had designs for the drains and individual property owners could do the works sooner themselves if they wanted to.