COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN/PALMERSTOWN/FONTHILL AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

QUESTION NO. 10

QUESTION: Councillor Shane Moynihan

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on where rebaiting of sewers (to avoid pests and rodents) has taken place in the Lucan and Palmerstown-Fonthill electoral areas during 2019. 

REPLY:

Complaints regarding pests and rodents in foul sewers is a matter for Irish Water. 

On the SDCC surface water network, rats are not an issue unless there is an illegal or inadvertent discharge of sewage or other polluting matter to the surface water network.

SDCC Drainage Operations do work on the foul sewer network for Irish Water under a Service Level Agreement. In general there are not rats problems on the foul sewers if they are constructed properly and running freely.

We do not bait foul sewers on behalf of IW unless there is a complaint about rats seen coming from the sewer.

On occasions we received complaints about rats from IW customers and we investigate if the foul sewers are the cause of the problem.  If so we might bait them as a short term issue and carry out the cleaning or repair of the pipework or manhole to seal from rat entry.  We find that baiting of the sewers is not a very effective way of getting rid of rats in sewers, the underlying issue needs to be addressed.  Bait is highly poisonous and cannot be used indiscriminately.

We are aware that there were rat complaints in Arthur Griffith Park recently and we did bait the sewer there.

Members are reminded that Irish Water have established a Local Representative Service Desk. This Service Desk can be contacted at localrepsupport@water.ie or at 1890 178 178. Irish Water also arrange Councillor clinics quarterly in SDCC

The Environment Health Officers working for the HSE should be contacted for rat issues on private property.