Unblock a road drain?

pauldavis123

Does anybody know how to unblock a road drain?

There are no leaves or rubbish on the grating at the road surface, the chamber below is blocked.

I used a broom handle to scrape the bottom of the chamber but I can't feel any exit.

I can't find a picture anywhere online of one pre-installation to see how they are constructed.

It's one of these ones:



I'm not sure what the little square beside the grate is for either.

Del2005

Fix My street for DCC

K.Flyer

pauldavis123 wrote: »

Does anybody know how to unblock a road drain?

There are no leaves or rubbish on the grating at the road surface, the chamber below is blocked.

I used a broom handle to scrape the bottom of the chamber but I can't feel any exit.

I can't find a picture anywhere online of one pre-installation to see how they are constructed.

It's one of these ones:



I'm not sure what the little square beside the grate is for either.

The drain will always hold a certain amount of water, approx two thirds full.
To clear that drain prise the small square box out and it will give you access to the trap for cleaning.

jack of all

Unless you really need to clear it out I would put it up on fix my street and let the local authority do it, that's why you pay property tax/ household charge. Putting your hand (gloved or otherwise) into a public gully or drain is a risky business- what if you punctured your skin with a drug user's syringe, you just never know.

blackbox

jack of all wrote: »

Unless you really need to clear it out I would put it up on fix my street and let the local authority do it, that's why you pay property tax/ household charge. Putting your hand (gloved or otherwise) into a public gully or drain is a risky business- what if you punctured your skin with a drug user's syringe, you just never know.

i'd say getting hit by traffic is a bigger risk.

Local authority would cone or fence off the area before anyone went near it.

The Continental Op

They look something like this



and yours if it is the same as the one in your picture has an extra access point directly over the outlet so you can clean the trap.

jack of all

blackbox wrote: »

i'd say getting hit by traffic is a bigger risk.

Local authority would cone or fence off the area before anyone went near it.

Probably, but I'm risk averse, especially after an incident a few years ago where I went to sit down on a bench in a public square but luckily spotted a used syringe in the gap between the hardwood battens!