Perth’s drainage infrastructure needs urgent upgrades in the wake of last week’s devastating flooding, it has been claimed.
North Muirton and the areas around the North Inch and South Inch were swamped in the sudden and sustained deluge, with drains unable to cope with the volume of water.
Craigie and the Glasgow Road part of the city were also badly hit.
With the clear-up still under way, local politicians and community council members have turned their attention to means of preventing repetition.
Murdo Fraser MSP, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region said: “The problem is that the drains can’t cope with the volume of water and then some drains collapse, which contributes to flooding.
“There are fears that the drains are not fit for purpose to deal with increasingly severe weather patterns which we are encountering these days and also, there are worries that the drains are not properly inspected or maintained.”
Mr Fraser has been in contact with Scottish Water to ask if drains are regularly maintained and inspected and if the organisation is satisfied with the drains’ condition.
Councillor Chris Ahern of the Perth City Centre ward said: “It is obvious from the problems that occurred from the flash floods last week resulting in flooding within Perth city centre that the drainage system is not up to the task of clearing the water that we are getting from frequent bad weather.
“With the increase in more severe weather patterns the problems are only get to get worse.”
A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: “Many parts of the country experienced heavy levels of rainfall last week.
“The level and intensity of these rainfall events in some areas was well in excess of what our sewer network is designed to accommodate.
“In these circumstances, we work as quickly as possible to assist our customers where we can.”
Meanwhile, members of North Inch and Muirton Community Council said they are working with Scottish Water and Perth and Kinross Council to improve infrastructure.
A spokesperson said: “Immediately following the flooding… the community council contacted Perth and Kinross Council directly with a report of the flooding and photographs.
“[The council] advised that it would contact Scottish Water directly given their joint responsibility.
“The community council has this year been discussing a mitigating feature for dealing with these kinds of flooding issues, namely sustainable drainage schemes, as an element in street design.”
The talks, however, were delayed due to Covid-19, with further details on the schemes to be shared at a later date.
