Wirral Council to improve drain maintenance to reduce flooding

A significant flooding issue is set to be addressed in Merseyside. The problem has caused surface flooding in roads and even damage to homes. Wirral Council is planning to change its approach to clearing blocked drains, which has led to many complaints from residents. The council has announced it will clean every drain in the area at least once a year for the next two years. This plan comes after concerns over their current method of using an older tanker that is no longer effective. Council officials are responding to visible flooding and increasing complaints. Currently, there are about 60,000 drains, or gullies, in Wirral. Nearly 50,000 of these have been cleaned in the past five years. However, on average, the council only manages around 21,000 cleaning operations each year. Most complaints occur in the autumn and winter months. To improve the situation, Wirral Council will hire a contractor and purchase two new cleaning tankers for £520,000. These new vehicles will help save time and money that is currently spent on repairs for the old tanker. The council is also looking into a second-hand vehicle for temporary use. Cllr Allan Brame expressed gratitude that action is finally being taken after years of lobbying for improvements. He highlighted the danger posed when flooding occurs, noting that it can block roads and make pavements unsafe. Residents can report flooding issues to the council online. However, the council reminds everyone that flooding during heavy rain is usually due to the sheer volume of water, not just blocked drains. Issues related to river or sea flooding should go to the Environment Agency, while problems with sewer floods should be reported to regional water companies.