Blocked Drains

If you have a blockage or your drains or sewers are flooded, please call Irish Water on 1800 278 278 or visit the Irish Water website.

Private drains

A blockage in a private drain, just like a blockage in a sink or bath waste, toilet or outside pipe is the responsibility of the householder.

Failure to maintain private drains may create a public health nuisance, which could result in householders being prosecuted under the Public Health Acts.

Shared drains

In housing estates, a number of houses are often served by a shared drain, which is a conventional method of connecting a number of houses by means of a single connection to the public sewer. The shared drain is normally laid in back gardens and has a number of inspection manholes to facilitate rodding.

Blockages in shared drains can be caused by defects in the pipe or abuse of the drain through flushing unsuitable matter such as bulky disposable nappies, cooking oil or grease into the system. Quite often this unsuitable material will accumulate in the interceptor trap in the final private outfall manhole, which can lead to overflows into the garden area.

Responsibility for clearing blockages or repairing defects in the shared drains is a matter to be resolved by the residents that are served by it. Apportionment of liability and cost is a matter to be agreed between the individual householders.