OFFICIALS at one of the most flooded sports grounds in the district believe they have found the reason their ground is under water so often.
Dundrum Cricket Club is regularly flooded throughout the year, often rendering the pitch unplayable during the cricket season. But now officials believe a faulty drainage pipe underneath the ground is the cause of their sodden woes.
The pipe discharges into the nearby Moneycarragh River and a flap on the end of the pipe is supposed to close when the river level rises, preventing water running along the pipe and into the ground.
But the flap is not closing so every time the river level rises, due to heavy rainfall or a high tide, water is running into the pipe and up onto the pitch
“The problem we have discovered is that the flap is not closing and has not done so for years. In addition, there is some kind of blockage in the pipe which runs under the ground,” said club official Jeff Maguire.
“When the river level rises, the water flows along the pipe and when it reaches the blockage it has nowhere to go but upwards, flooding a large part of our ground.”
Mr. Maguire revealed club officials have captured on video hundreds of gallons of water spewing onto the pitch from the blocked pipework and plan to show the evidence to Rivers Agency officials.
“The key issue for us is for the flap at the end of the pipe to be repaired,” he continued. “With the new cricket season not that far away it would not be feasible to dig up the ground to repair the broken pipe at this stage.
“The club would be happy if the valve is fixed now, with an investigation to determine and fix whatever is wrong with the pipe taking place next winter.”
Mr. Maguire revealed the club official who captured the water spewing out of the ground was instrumental in helping trace the cause of a problem which has dogged the village cricket club for many years.
He added: “It was obvious the ground was flooding but we only discovered recently where the flood water was actually coming from. Now we have identified the location, we hope the issue can be satisfactorily resolved.”
Councillor Patrick Clarke said members of the Dundrum club are very concerned that in the aftermath of heavy rain and high tides, large parts of the cricket ground are submerged.
He is hoping to arrange a site meeting with Rivers Agency officials to discuss the problem and agrees with Mr. Maguire that repairing the faulty flap is the immediate priority.
Councillor Clarke added: “The flooding problem is particularly bad at high tide and following periods of heavy rain. Sorting the flap issue is important as is repairing the broken pipe.
“It’s unfortunate the blockage in the pipe is directly under the playing surface which makes life extremely difficult for Dundrum’s cricketers. Now the source of the flooding has been identified the Rivers Agency must address the issue.”