Flash flooding is not the Council’s responsibility
Flash flooding on roads outside houses in rural County Galway will not be removed by the local authority – because that’s the responsibility of householder.
This week, during periods of heavy rainfall, many householders across the county experienced severe floods outside their homes.
They have asked the Council to drain the waters away but they have been told it’s not their responsibility.
Even councillors, who have a discretionary fund available to them, are not allowed to spend it on such works. Walls outside houses are being destroyed from the spray caused by passing cars.
This has angered Cllr Pete Roche who visited Caherlistrane householder Brian Finnegan who has complained about regular flash flooding on the road outside his front wall.
Cllr Roche said that the camber of the road has resulted in water gathering immediately outside his front wall and the Council have told him that it is nothing to do with them.
“At this time of year I am inundated, as are other councillors, with complaints from rural residents who are affected in this way when the heavens open.
“I have witnessed parking bay outside houses that flood to such an extent that it is virtually impossible for the resident to walk out on the road outside. It is a particular problem in rural areas.
“It is caused by the fact that the road outside is often higher than the parking bays and this results in water gathering in the event of heavy rainfalls,” Cllr Roche explained.
He said that he had raised the matter with the roads section of Galway County Council and was told that it was a matter for the home owner and not their responsibility.
The councillor even offered to spend some of his own discretionary funds on drainage works in some of the worst affected areas but he was informed by the Council that he was not allowed to do so.
“For a couple of hundred euros this water could be drained into a gully. At the moment the water outside these houses are being sprayed onto walls and into gardens whenever cars pass. It is destroying some walls,” Cllr Roche added.