This Tuesday morning, the mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Joseph Segura, met with the teams from the Metropole responsible for cleaning and dredging in the commune. This initiative is part of the “Flood” risk prevention framework.
Dredging operations for the creeks and stone traps have started in Saint-Laurent-du-Var in recent days. The city’s mayor, Joseph Segura, visited one of the sites affected by this work on Tuesday morning. He was able to discuss with the technicians from the Metropole Nice Côte d’Azur. “For several years, the Metropole has organized prevention measures after the summer season to face increasingly severe (weather) episodes,” said the mayor.
The cleaning and dredging of rainwater infrastructure are part of a general operational plan by the Territoriale Right Bank Var Directorate (DTRDV). A period of four weeks is dedicated to this task. A team of sanitation agents is assigned daily to maintain the grids in the dense urban area. Another team focused on roads is working on structures positioned in the peri-urban zone. To date, about 80% of the work has been completed.
A risk of flooding and above all accidents
The site chosen this morning was on road M118, a very busy access point. The cleaning was carried out by agents of the Metropole under the watchful eyes of the mayor, Joseph Segura, and a few media representatives present. An annual cleaning of the grids allows the water to not stagnate and evacuate naturally.
Some sanitation agents explain the dangers of water that does not evacuate properly, especially on this road. Right here, the “flood risk is almost non-existent.” The slope is steep, so the water will not stagnate on the road. However, everything will accumulate lower down. This, in turn, pushes the problem further along.
Nevertheless, while there may be no risk of flooding at this specific point, there is another significant risk. “If the water no longer evacuates and remains on the surface, it becomes very dangerous for cars. There is a real aquaplaning effect in such cases,“ says Julien, one of the Metropole’s agents.
Review after significant meteorological events
While foliage is the main reason for the formation of blockages preventing water from flowing correctly, a stone can also be responsible for this phenomenon. That’s why, on route M118, a bar screen, also nicknamed “stone trap,” has been installed at the water drainage entry. Thus, stones that may be found on the roadway after severe weather will not block the proper circulation of water.
After severe meteorological events, a review will be conducted on each point defined by the city and the Metropole Nice Côte d’Azur. If necessary, a second cleaning will be performed immediately. This initiative aims to combat the flooding phenomenon that threatens the region, more and more each year.
