Maintenance

The Board employs two operatives who carry out all the day-to-day routine maintenance of the Board’s watercourses including the operation of the Board’s five pumping stations.

The annual weedcutting and flailing works are carried out by contractors. As a general principle these works generally commence in July following harvest. However this principle is being reviewed in the case of strategic watercourses.

Capital.
The Board’s five pumping stations are all of varying ages with the oldest diesel driven pumps dating back to the late 1940’s.

The Board is considering a major refurbishment programme of all the pumping stations over the next 10 years to provide a more efficient standard of drainage to meet the demands of intensive arable farming and the expanding urban areas. These works will include the provision of automatic weedscreen cleaners, provision of telemetry and the replacement/refurbishment of all the pumps and their prime movers.