Drainage
We look after
the highway drainage system. Rain water that falls onto roads and
pavements runs into the drains and then into our drainage system
through miles of connecting pipe.
Drains are made up of ‘gullies’ - the metal grids you see along
the side of the road and allow water to be collected. The water is
then taken away in ‘pipes’ to local rivers or into large containers
in the ground called ‘soakaways’.
During periods of heavy rain which can cause large volumes of
water, it will usually take longer for the water to drain
away. If after a reasonable amount of time the water remains
standing on the surface of the road or pavement after the rain has
stopped, please report it to us.
How often do we clean the drains?
We have a plan of when drains will be cleaned. This is more
often in areas where heavy rain may cause flooding, or where a lot
of debris washes into them. We also work with local communities and
use our knowledge of the roads to prioritise how often they are
cleaned.
Type of road
|
Description |
Frequency |
| Flood routes |
Roads known to flood on a frequent basis |
Every 3 months |
| High speed roads |
Roads with a speed limit of 70mph, for example A299 Thanet
Way |
Every 6 months |
| Strategic routes |
Roads that provide the main connection between towns and
villages across the county. |
Every 12 months
|
| Urban and rural routes |
All other roads |
Every 12 to 18 months |
Drainage cleansing schedule
Our weekly schedule shows where cleansing is due to
take place. We update this regularly so you can find out when we
are due in your area.
You can view the schedule as either a PDF or Excel file:
How can you help us?
There are some things you can do to help keep roads free from
water.
- Do not tip waste such as concrete and oil down the drains as
this can block the pipes and contaminate nearby streams, rivers and
land.
- If you see signs telling you that cleansing will take place,
please park elsewhere. We often clean drains in roads where there
would normally be parked cars, and if the cars are in the way we
can’t carry out the cleansing.
- If you notice that fallen leaves are beginning to cover the
gully grating and feel that you can safely remove them or move to
one side then please do.
What causes drains to become blocked?
Blocked drains are one of the reasons why water on the highway
might not drain away. Drains can become blocked for a number of
reasons including:
- leaves or other debris have covered the drain
- connecting pipes are blocked with debris or silt
- tree roots have blocked the pipes
- the pipes have deteriorated or cracked
- breaks have occurred in the pipes due to ground movements.