Councillor Alan Cheevers is calling on Galway City Council, in conjunction with Irish Water, to carry out a full and urgent review of all road gullies across Galway City, including those on main roads and within council-managed estates.
With weather conditions becoming increasingly unpredictable, and the city experiencing periods of extremely heavy rainfall, he feels that it is vital that all drainage infrastructure is operating at full capacity.
“We have already seen flash flooding in a number of areas across the east side of the city, with reports from some estates of sewage coming onto roads as a result of overflowing or inadequate drainage.
“You cannot always predict the volume or intensity of heavy rainfall. What we can do is make sure our drainage system is ready to cope with it,” he said.
He added that it is important that every gully is inspected and confirmed to be working properly and at full capacity.
“Blocked, damaged or inadequate gullies can quickly contribute to flooding, particularly during periods of intense rainfall.
“This is about being proactive rather than waiting for flooding to happen. Galway City Council and Irish Water must work together to carry out a comprehensive review of gullies on main roads and throughout council-managed estates.
“Given the recent flash flooding and the reports we are receiving, this work is urgent and must be carried out without delay. We need to ensure that our communities are protected as much as possible from the impact of increasingly unpredictable weather,” Cllr Cheevers concluded.
