Drainage Systems

Cork already has an extensive network of gullies and pipes that drain surface water during intense rainfall events.

During extreme river flood events, when river levels are elevated, the normal discharge of surface water by gravity is prevented. Without intervention, this could lead to flooding behind the river defences.

Similar to other flood relief schemes, to address this issue, LLFRS proposes the introduction of a back of wall drainage system incorporating a number of local underground pumping stations to ensure our streets remain free of surface water even during a flood in the river. These pumping stations will pump any excess surface water into the river, thus ensuring that significant nuisance surface water ponding and flooding is avoided during major river floods.

Similar Pumping stations are common place in many cities around the world. Cork City already has over 42 pumping stations in operation, none of which are visible in the city centre. Examples include the pumping station sited below ground at Grand Parade as shown below.

These pumping stations will be automated with manual override, backup power supplies, standby pumps and other redundancies, and will be regularly maintained, so that they are ready when called upon.

The LLFRS pumping stations will only operate at times of extreme flooding. Most of the time, the existing drainage system will operate by gravity, as it does at present.

These pumping stations will not alter the groundwater regime in Cork.

As far as possible, pumping stations are being sited to minimise disruption.

These pumping stations are an essential part of an integrated Flood Relief Scheme for Cork and will be maintained by Cork City Council as agents of OPW. Funding for maintenance of this and other aspects of the Scheme will be ringfenced for the lifetime of the Scheme.