The ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG currently has several very large tunnelling projects in Austria. However, not only the construction itself is important for the client, but also that the tunnels can be used as efficiently as possible during their entire service life. Regarding water pressure-relieved tunnel structures, the drainage system is usually the most expensive and time-consuming maintenance activity. For this reason a specialized project, the Task Force Drainage (TFD), was launched to deal with drainage systems during construction and operation. The objectives of the TFD are primarily the concentration of innovation regarding the drainage system, the optimization and systematization of the maintenance process and the specification of necessary components and technologies. Examples are the development of new flushing systems for the drainage system, the development of optimized pipe materials and a uniform inventory of existing drainage systems. These examples are explained in the article.