COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 11, 2023

QUESTION NO.38

QUESTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin

To ask the chief executive what approach this local authority has to keeping on street storm water drains cleared?

REPLY:

Responsibility for the surface water collection regime remains the remit of the Council. General maintenance includes the removal of silt and tree roots and the carrying out of camera surveys on the surface water network to identify blockages and assist in network improvement. The surface water related works also include the maintenance of river screens and clearing of streams to mitigate potential flood ‘hotspots’. A €425,000 Programme of Surface Water Minor Capital Works is delivered annually. 

The cleaning of road gulleys and connecting pipework is included in the services provided by Oxigen Environmental Ltd under the Road Sweeping and Associated Services Contract.  The contract requires Oxigen to clean the 45,000 road gulleys once per year and following cleaning the contractor tests that the gulley is functioning properly.  If the gulley is not functioning properly when tested the contractor is required to jet the connecting pipe clean and then retest the gulley.  If the test fails on this occasion the matter is referred to the Council's Road Maintenance Section for attention. If a structural problem is encountered with the gulley chamber or lid then these matters are also brought to the attention of Road Maintenance. In addition to the once per year servicing of gulleys a smaller number (1,500 gulleys) are serviced twice per year, with some of these (500 gulleys) serviced four times per year.    

In rural areas the Road Maintenance Section ensures that outlets to roadside drainage are maintained open and these are examined yearly.  Where road drainage discharges to rivers, streams and other open water courses these are also inspected and maintained with trash screens examined regulary and ahead of any forecasted storms or heavy rainfall events.