Garage Drain Plan Passed by Northern Council

TDT | Manama

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Water draining from home garages onto streets could be channelled into approved sewer or drainage lines under a proposal passed by the Northern Municipal Council, after members were told the run-off was fuelling neighbour rows, foul smells and damage to roads and pavements.

The plan, tabled by council member Basim Abu Idris, calls for homeowners and owners of residential units to install a dedicated drainage channel within the garage boundary and link it to the sewerage network or another approved drainage route. The aim is to stop wash water and other run-off from spilling into public spaces.

‘We are asking for fixed water drainage to protect citizens, so that they are not held to account when water leaks outside the home,’ Abu Idris said. He said the move would help ‘protect the social fabric’ by cutting disputes between neighbours and shielding residents from municipal fines when water spreads beyond their property.

The council said the measure was meant to keep streets and pavements clean, cut the sight of pooled or dirty water in residential areas, and lower the risk to passers-by. It also seeks to reduce wear to roads caused by water flowing out over long periods.

Abu Idris said residents had repeatedly complained about water gathering outside homes, along with smells and pollutants that can come with it. He warned that puddles on roads and pavements posed a direct risk to pedestrians and drivers, ‘especially children and the elderly’.

He said the lack of a clear rule for disposing of wash water through garages did not fit with public cleanliness standards or environmental health and safety rules. A proper drainage route, he added, would help curb water waste and ease strain on sewerage and approved drainage networks.

The proposal also seeks to bring garage water disposal into line with municipal and environmental rules, cut public complaints and lift satisfaction with municipal services.