What gully cleaning involves
A gully is the grated drain at the edge of a road, yard or car park. Beneath the grating is a pot that traps silt, grit and leaves before the water runs on into the drainage system. When the pot fills, water stops getting away and starts standing on the surface.
A gully tanker lifts the silt and water out of the pot by suction, the pot is flushed and refilled with clean water, and the operator checks that it is running. The waste is carried away in the tanker for disposal at a suitable licensed facility.
Where it is needed
- Car parks and retail sites, where blocked gullies leave standing water in bays and walkways.
- Industrial estates, yards and distribution centres, where dust and debris wash into the drains.
- Construction sites and new estate roads, where silt from the works fills gullies quickly, and before roads are handed over or offered for adoption.
- Highways and council-managed roads, as extra capacity on cyclic programmes or after flooding and leaf fall.
- Private estates, schools, hospitals and business parks, as planned maintenance.
Sweeping and gully cleaning together
Much of what blocks a gully arrives from the road surface, so the two jobs are often done on the same visit: the sweeper clears the channels and the gully tanker empties the pots. Tell us if you need both and we will look for operators who can attend together.
What to tell us
- The site address and postcode.
- Roughly how many gullies there are, and whether any are known to be blocked or flooding.
- When they were last cleaned, if you know.
- Access: parked vehicles over gratings, traffic management needed on live roads, height or weight limits.
- Whether you need a record of the gullies attended.
What it will and will not fix
Emptying the pot solves most standing-water problems. If a gully still does not run once it has been cleaned, the fault is usually further along, in the connection or the drain itself, and needs separate drainage investigation. The operator will report any gullies found in that condition.
See also operated road sweeper hire and high-pressure jet washing. Regular visits can be set up under nationwide contract sweeping.