You are on page 1of 3

Kevin Blache - 813117777 - Civil Engineering Design II CVNG 2003

"Write a short essay on the importance of road drainage, using experiences of your
village/city/island to demonstrate this importance."

Drainage involves the removal of water or sewage by flow or pumping, via a drain, that is; a
channel, pipe or duct for taking surface or subsoil water or sewage. (Dictionary of Civil
Engineering). The process of drainage and the systems associated with it are an integral part of
most, if not all, civil engineering works for a plethora of reasons, which will be delved into with
greater specificity throughout the course of this presentation. In order to increase understanding
and give an illustration of the advantages, as well as, adverse effects of drainage or a lack thereof
the issue will be related to the Town of Grenville, located in St. Andrew, Grenada.
Grenville, is the second largest town in Grenada and is located on the Eastern (Windward) side
of the island. This town is the home of several secondary branches of major companies in
Grenada and many smaller businesses. Within the town limits and near its periphery are
educational institutions including primary and secondary schools. West of Grenville, is the
central (main) mountain range of Grenada, on the adjoining slopes of which are many residential
settlements, making for a small commute to and from daily activities within the town of
Grenville. The concatenation of these factors makes for a bustling environment and high daytime
population in the town. From the preceding statements alone, there exists an obvious need for
proper water management facilities in order to ensure the smooth operation of activities.
The town of Grenville, however, is a low lying area rising just above sea level. For years the
town of Grenville has experienced flooding problems, during periods of minimal rainfall in some
instances. This flooding, is so due to the combination of several factors including, but not limited
to:

The close proximity of residential areas of a higher elevation to the town and within its

watershed;
Poor drainage systems within the town itself; and,
Grenville's low leveled nature, closeness to the sea and locally high water table.

These simply form a recipe for disaster in the event of heavy rains as can be (and was
previously) experienced during an anomaly such as a hurricane.
Several implications of said flooding ensue leading to:

Closure of business and schools (leading to decreased productivity),


Damage to or loss of valuable items and property,
Loss of lives (in extreme cases),
Costs associated with clean up and repair/reconstruction,
Spread of disease through contamination of water, as well as, stagnation of water causing
disease carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and rodents and so on to breed.

Considering the current and situation and what is at stake it is of paramount importance that
measures be put in place to remedy the issue in order to improve the life of the citizens of
Grenville. Some of these measures can be:

Improve drains currently existent in the town,


Channel water from these drains to a major outlet which contains a flood gate at the

entrance to the ocean, as well as, a water pump should excess water have to be removed,
Establish a system to regularly clean drains to remove debris and contaminants
Construct settlement a settlement pond above the town to slow the run off of rainwater, as
well as, to allow treatment of said water from the overlying residential areas.

The aim of these modifications to the town's infrastructure is to bolster the productivity but more
specifically geared towards the safety of citizens. In any engineering work, the safety of workers
and the eventual occupants/users of said work should be borne in mind. Proper drainage falls into
the scope of this concept and as mentioned before, at present several adverse effects of poor
drainage are inherent in the town of Grenville. It is thus important that the changes to be made
are such that it allows for the removal of excess water in the event of abnormal levels of rainfall,
which can thus make it safer for citizens by reducing the direct endangerment of their lives. Also
proper drainage reduces the risk of contamination of water resources and the spread of diseases
through vectors such as mosquitoes and other pests.
The modifications to be made but also be aesthetic and not hinder the normal flow of activities
within the town itself. With this being said, these works to be undertaken should be sustainable.
Sustainability, consists in meeting current needs without disenabling future generations to be

able to meet their need as well. Bearing this in mind, it is important that the work to be done
should in no way distort the natural environment near the town or in its vicinity, for example, the
nearby coral reefs and other wildlife habitats. Therefore, before work is to be commenced, the
proper channels should be explored, as it relates to carrying out an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) to identify where extra care and attention must be paid. Also it is necessary to
pursue construction techniques and materials that are environmentally friendly. For example, for
the proposed settlement tank, natural vegetation can be used to line the walls of said structure,
rather than the usual concrete (geosynthethic mesh). In a similar fashion, geocomposites can be
used for the drains leading to the town from the adjacent areas within the watershed. These
materials are helpful especially where it concerns erosion control. This can be both cost effective
and environmentally viable, helping to achieve both aims of safety and sustainability.
In conclusion, given the aforementioned negative effects, it is apparent why proper drainage is
necessary. In this regard efforts should be made in order to ensure that any village/town or
heavily populated area is properly drained so as to ensure a safe environment for citizens.

Aerial Photograph of the Town of Grenville (Source: Google Maps)

You might also like