Council crews aim to have busy city road reinstated by tomorrow following works to remove major concrete blockage

Cork City Council crews who have worked tirelessly to remove a concrete sewer blockage on the South Douglas Road are aiming to have the road reinstated by tomorrow.

In an update, senior executive engineer at Cork City Council, Simon Lyons said crews re-established flows through the sewer at 5pm yesterday evening.

Council workers have put in more than 90 hours of work over the last nine days as they worked to remove the blockage, measuring about eight metres in length.

🪨 @corkcitycouncil crews re-established flows thru Sth Douglas Rd sewer at 5pm today

⏰ 90+ hours of dedicated, hard work over the last 9 days!

📆 Aim to reinstate road by Friday

💪 Incredible commitment by the crew, who do more to keep #CorkCity running than is ever seen! 👏 https://t.co/ylhjUqDtsY pic.twitter.com/tIBePJshY6

— Simon Lyons (@ThePoliteEng) July 27, 2022

Last week Cork City Council said council crews would be undertaking an "emergency excavation" at Upper Mount View near Kevin O’Leary Centra, to repair the main wastewater sewer which was "blocked by an unidentified illegal discharge of concrete".

The council said the inbound lane of the South Douglas Road would be closed between Ashdale Park and Loretto Park and that traffic management would be in place while the works are being conducted.

Survey works were carried out last week before the excavation works commenced on Friday.

The road was due to be reinstated by Sunday evening, however, works stretched into this week due to the extent of the blockage.

The council said it had hoped to “avoid working within the footpath, and in proximity to existing services under it” but this was not possible as it was found that the blockage extended into that area.

In a statement to The Echo earlier this week, the council said once the works are complete, a subsequent pipe survey and investigation will be undertaken “to attempt to identify the source of the concrete”.