The City of Windsor is urging residents affected by basement flooding and tree damage from recent storms to contact 311. Over the weekend, the city received more than 800 calls related to chaotic weather that knocked out power to hundreds of homes and overwhelmed municipal sewer systems.
Storm Details and Infrastructure Response
From Friday to Monday night, sections of several city drains — including the London, Little River, and Grand Marais Drains — overflowed due to the “sheer amount of water,” according to Stacey McGuire, Windsor’s executive director of operations and deputy city engineer. Some local rain gauges recorded rainfall levels approaching that of a 100-year storm “for specific, localized periods of time,” McGuire said during Monday afternoon’s development and heritage standing committee.
“It was a significant amount of water that the system experienced. It’s not something that our system would generally be able to handle and get that water out quickly,” McGuire said. “I can confirm that all of our systems were running as planned. We didn’t have any issues with power outages or anything like that that would cause backups. It really was a function of our sewers being overwhelmed by the amount of rain that we received.”
Tree Damage and Cleanup Efforts
Forestry crews have received more than 800 requests about downed trees on municipal rights-of-way since the start of the weekend. Residents are encouraged to log service requests via the Windsor 311 smartphone app or the online 311 portal at citywindsor.ca. Requests should be submitted as “Tree Damage Due to Storm.” The city continues to address large tree limb cleanup as part of its ongoing tree maintenance program.
Special Tree Waste Collection
The city and Miller Waste will provide special tree waste collection for Windsor residents over the next two weeks starting Wednesday. Residents are asked to limit the length of branches to four feet, the thickness to no more than 10 centimetres (four inches), and the weight to 20 kilograms (44 pounds). They should tie tree branches together if possible. Any other storm-related tree waste can be dropped off at the municipal yard waste depot (3560 North Service Rd. E.) at no charge, the city says.
Flood Damage Assistance
Homeowners who have flood-damaged items are encouraged to contact their insurance provider before they start to clean up. Next, they should log a “Basement Flooding” service request through 311 by the end of the day on Friday, July 10. The City of Windsor will provide a special waste collection pickup. Residents are responsible for setting out flood-damaged materials at the curb before they submit a service request. Paint and chemicals should not be included in this waste collection.
Tips to Reduce Flooding Risk
To reduce the risk of flooding, the city advises: ensure your home’s downspouts are disconnected from the city sewer system so stormwater is deposited on lawns or in rain gardens; ensure the grading around your foundation is sloped away from exterior walls; keep catch basins clear of leaves and debris; and check that sump pumps and backwater valves are working properly.
