Drainage

paulm17781

The drainage system in Dublin has been a peeve of mine for a few years now. I'm used to seeing drains on roads with puddles around them (as they're higher than the road level), drains blocked with leaves / litter or just things like today, highly over capacity drains. I assume this is the case all over the country.

I've always thought better cleaning of the drains would help a lot, maybe different design (US style in the footpath, not on the road) or even if the road were designed to flow into them instead of around them.

I figure even if these were implemented, there'd still be problems like today, where there is simply too much rain for the sewers / drains to cope. What do you all think it would take to improve drainage around the country or would it involve building a whole new sewerage system?

Trampas

And through our insurance we have to play for the clean up. even though council should be keeping the drains cleared

Sponge Bob

Sadly the wind shifted the leaves this weekend and there was no time to clear the drains before the deluge today. They were out pumping them in Galway today I noticed.

loyatemu

the "in the footpath" design is more common in other countries and would seem to be less prone to variations in the height/quality of the road surfacing

dubhthach

It doesn't help that there was a month's worth of rain within 12 hours as well. 90 mm in Dublin yesterday, the usual amount for whole of October is 68mm!

paulm17781

dubhthach wrote: »

It doesn't help that there was a month's worth of rain within 12 hours as well. 90 mm in Dublin yesterday, the usual amount for whole of October is 68mm!

Wow, was it that much? I knew it was a lot! I accept that yesterday was unusual but huge puddles all over the road after any rain are far too common, I'm sure there are ways we wouldn't have that. I just don't know what the best solution for Dublin / Ireland would be.

MadsL

There seems to be no absolutely consideration of drainage. Here a couple of shots of the 'improvement' works at Smithfield which has created a mini-dam perfectly placed to splash waiting pedestrians where as previously water could just run off towards the Liffey. A small thing, but as the most recent piece of infrastructure in my neighbourhood, why aren't DCC thinking about this stuff...




Nice downhill to the Liffey

antoobrien

MadsL wrote: »

There seems to be no absolutely consideration of drainage. Here a couple of shots of the 'improvement' works at Smithfield which has created a mini-dam perfectly placed to splash waiting pedestrians where as previously water could just run off towards the Liffey. A small thing, but as the most recent piece of infrastructure in my neighbourhood, why aren't DCC thinking about this stuff...

Good job that's in there, Wolfe Tone quay might have washed away.

dubhthach

paulm17781 wrote: »

Wow, was it that much? I knew it was a lot! I accept that yesterday was unusual but huge puddles all over the road after any rain are far too common, I'm sure there are ways we wouldn't have that. I just don't know what the best solution for Dublin / Ireland would be.

Seem's my 12 hour estimate was actually understatement, over 70mm in a 6 hour period in Casement. Both the Camac and the Poddle rise in that area (Tallaght/Saggart) so it's no wonder both of them burst their banks with tragic results -- the Poddle "burst" cause the grand canal to also "burst", thence Harold's Cross been awashed.

KevR

There are some drains around the place that are blocked with sand. No doubt caused by using sand as grit when salt was running low/out during last winter's cold snap. Had to be done at the time but they should think about clearing these drains now..

MadsL

dubhthach wrote: »

the Poddle "burst" cause the grand canal to also "burst", thence Harold's Cross been awashed.

Does the "burst" refer to the fact it was dammed?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056431794

dubhthach

MadsL wrote: »

Does the "burst" refer to the fact it was dammed?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056431794

That's the Dodder and not the Poddle, the Poddle goes underground in Harald's cross and goes under Grand Canal, before coming up for couple sections before going underground again for most of it's route to the Liffey (it flows through grounds of Dublin castle underground for example)

paulm17781

MadsL wrote: »

There seems to be no absolutely consideration of drainage. Here a couple of shots of the 'improvement' works at Smithfield which has created a mini-dam perfectly placed to splash waiting pedestrians where as previously water could just run off towards the Liffey. A small thing, but as the most recent piece of infrastructure in my neighbourhood, why aren't DCC thinking about this stuff...

That's exactly the kind of thing I mean. Drainage is so badly implemented despite this being such a rainy country. I noticed some letters in the Irish times about it today too. Is it as simple as aligning the drains properly and clearing them or would we need an entire new system?