Galway Bay fm newsroom – Crews are working this afternoon to clear major fat deposits from the city’s sewer network believed to be responsible for ongoing odour and overflow issues along shop street.
It follows the revelation that some areas of the network are almost 40% blocked, due to build ups of grease, fat and sanitary products.
Contractors are today undertaking what’s being described as ‘heavy duty’ sewer cleaning on Shop Street.
The work aims to clear major deposits of grease, fat and silt that have been building up across the network over the past number of years.
Some of the blockages are being deemed ‘fatbergs’, or congealed lumps of fat, often containing wet wipes or other sanitary items, which don’t break down in the system.
Irish Water, which is overseeing the project with the City council, says the works should improve the bad odours frequently reported along shop street.
The project was commissioned after the City Council identified the blockages as contributing significantly to flooding on several city streets.
It also found that 90% of city businesses, including restaurants, launderettes and hairdressers, have failed to introduce controls to reduce the rate of fat, oil and grease discharged into sewers.
It’s expected that the heavy duty cleaning works on Shop Street will be completed sometime this evening – and crews will then move to tackle buildup at Augustine Street and Bridge Street.