Constant flooding of footpaths and streets in village and housing estates

Councillor William Carey asked at the Clondalkin Area Committee Meeting (ACM) of January 17 if a winter programme for the clearing of storm drains could be put in place.

The Sinn Féin councillor asked if this could be implemented to avoid the constant flooding of streets and footpaths across the villages and housing estates of the area.

The Council replied that the road gullies in the county are cleaned on a scheduled basis by the contractor, Oxigen Environmental Ltd., who provides the road sweeping service across the county.

The service is provided on a yearly basis to the majority of the 45,000 road gullies in the county, the Council added, with a percentage of these serviced twice or four times yearly as required.

The service provided includes the cleaning and testing of all gullies, the Council said. Where a gulley is cleaned but found not to be functioning the pipe connecting the gulley to the main drain is cleaned by the contractor and the gulley is then re-tested, the Council added. If it is still not functioning the matter is referred back to the Council for an examination of the condition of the main drain.

As well as cleaning of gulley chambers the street cleaning and road sweeping which is carried out by both Public Realm staff and the road sweeping contractor should ensure that there is no build-up of debris on the surface of the gulley which would interfere with it’s proper functioning, the Council said.  The leaf sweeping and removal service which is also provided by the road sweeping contractor and which operates during the period September 01 to January 31 also includes the removal of leaves from gullies wherever this is required, the Council added.

Any location where there is a recurring drainage or water ponding issue can be examined to determine if there is an issue with the functioning of the gulley and drainage systems, the Council said.  Where necessary areas that are affected in this way can be added to the twice or four times yearly schedule for gulley cleaning as provided under the contract with Oxigen, the Council added.