EDITORIAL: More needs to be done to protect communities in Tipperary from flooding
With flooding on roads in Tipperary becoming more and more frequent, more needs to be done to prevent this from happening so often.
Flooding in some towns and villages across Ireland, including Tipperary, has become less of a once a year phenomenon and instead is a frequent occurrence to many of us living near rivers.
Can more be done to prevent this increasingly frequent inconvenience, writes Tipperary Live.
Many Tipperary towns (like Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir) have flood relief plans already, but yet they still flood frequently.
Blocked rivers and poorly maintained drainage make flooding worse in these areas, and government action could help lessen the frequency of floods in Tipperary.
Government action should include regular maintenance on rivers that flood frequently.
Leaves, mud, litter and gravel can clog street drains. When heavy rainfall comes, water has nowhere to go, so it backs up onto roads and into homes close-by.
Experts say that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of rainfall in Ireland, and villages and towns in Tipperary can attest to that.
More unpredictable weather patterns and heavier rainfall are putting rivers, drainage systems and flood defences under increased pressure.
Tipperary is surrounded by major rivers including the Suir, the Shannon and their tributaries.
When rainfall increases over a short period, these river systems can be overwhelmed and flooding occurs.
More long-term planning and urgency is needed by decision makers to help defend and prevent towns from flooding in the future in Tipperary.
The people of Tipperary deserve more than expecting to encounter flooding on roads often and more should be done to stop this from occurring.