Scottish Conservative politicians Murdo Fraser MSP and Councillor Chris Ahern have raised their concerns about the drain infrastructure in Perth.
The problem with drains not coping with the volume of water was brought to Mr Fraser’s attention due to flooding in the city following last week’s thunderstorm.
The North Muirton and North and South Inch areas were particularly badly hit. The situation is so bad that Mr Fraser has written to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Scottish Water to ask for their views on the drain infrastructure in Perth.
Commenting, Mr Fraser, 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.”
He continued: “Flooding was particularly bad in North Muirton and at the North and South Inch areas of Perth, with residents understandably concerned about the situation. I therefore decided to write to the CEO of Scottish Water to ask if they are satisfied with the quality of the drain infrastructure in Perth and to also ask if they feel if it is fit for purpose.
“In addition, I asked Scottish Water if the drain infrastructure is maintained regularly and how often it is inspected.”
And Councillor Ahern, who represents the Perth City Centre ward for the Scottish Conservatives, added: “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. It does not help that drains are not checked and maintained on a regular basis.
“It took me over a year to get a drain checked in North Muirton that was continually overflowing with sewage to discover the drain had actually collapsed. This must be an issue that is happening elsewhere.
“I understand the process of checking the drains would be an expense, but this is nothing compared to the expense to families and the insurance industry, which is eventually passed on to all of us.”