Blocked Drains in Partick, Glasgow

Partick occupies a distinctive position on the north bank of the Clyde where the River Kelvin joins it from the north. This confluence has shaped Partick's geography and its drainage. The streets closest to the Kelvin corridor have higher groundwater levels than most of Glasgow, and the willows and riverside trees that line the Kelvin send roots aggressively into any drainage pipe within reach. Dumbarton Road and the older residential streets running off it were laid out in the Victorian period and the drainage underneath them is from the same era.

The older Partick tenements have shared drainage stacks typical of Glasgow's Victorian housing. What makes Partick slightly different from the Southside or the East End is the proximity to both rivers, which means the ground under Partick's streets has a higher moisture content than in more elevated parts of the city. This creates ideal conditions for root growth into old clay drainage pipes and contributes to a higher rate of root-related drain blockages in this part of Glasgow.

The newer riverside apartment developments in Partick present a different drainage picture. Modern plastic drainage systems with straightforward runs and no shared stacks. These systems develop blockages too, usually from fat and food waste in kitchen drains or from foreign objects in bathroom drains, but the clearance is more straightforward than in the older Victorian drainage. Paul and Kyle work across both old and new Partick drainage regularly and carry the right equipment for each.