By Pepper Parr
August 6, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Halton Region 311 service recorded more than 2200 telephone calls from regional residents; in Burlington there were at least 500 homes with varying degrees of water damage.
The Gazette newsroom had inches of water with two streams, albeit small ones coming in from both the back and the front. The proof-reader and the publisher were at one point in water up to their knees, bailing water out of a stair well outside the house that was threatening to add a foot of water to the lower level.
The city got more than two month’s worth of rain in three hours, which brought traffic on the QEW to a halt for periods of time and many of the east west roads impassable.
Other than clearing water on the streets, there wasn’t much more the city could do for residents, who were scrambling to get things out of the lower level of their homes. Initial reports indicate the southwest Ontario city received about 125 millimeters of rain, prompting 2,200 calls to the Region’s 311 service number.
Regional staff were pretty good at taking down basic information. The Region does have a support program for specific types of damage – unfortunately the people taking the calls didn’t have that information at hand.
A request to talk to someone, who could explain what was available and what the processes were to get help with the cost of repairing property, was one the Region could not meet. They advised the Gazette that the Regional web site would be updated.
The flooding moved a significant amount of earth that was covering a gas line that then sprung a leak. The fire department and the gas company were on hand to contain that crisis. The city set up a shelter at the Senior’s Centre and the Mainway area for those who needed a dry place to stay.
Goldring said the north area of the city, near Guelph Line north of Dundas Street is among the worst hit area in the city and many of the roads suffered significant damage.
The city kept up a steady flow of information with the Mayor getting to the airwaves with information – he did a much better job this time than he did with the Via Rail derailment a couple of years ago.
For those with serious water damage Tuesday was a day to be on the phone to the insurance companies and getting through to reclamation companies before all their available manpower was spoken for.
We don’t know how the Mayor did, but the Gazette managed to get a crew in by 4:00 pm – they stayed until well past midnight to take out all the carpeting and cut out two feet of drywall. The water was coming into the building from both the front and the back and the drain pipes were not able to handle the flow.
An interesting point. The city has a program, overseen by the Heritage Advisory Committee, that approves grants to owners of property that has historical significance. Those grants are for as much as several thousand dollars. Those people who suffered serious water damage may not live in historically significant dwellings – but they could use some financial support. One of our neighbours, a pastor at a church that does not have its own building, lost much of the paper work and supplies for his congregation.
The Region has two support programs:
Sewer Back-up Flooding Grant (i.e., Ex-Gratia Grant Program)
If your basement floods due to a sanitary sewer back-up, Halton Region may provide financial assistance in the amount of $1,000. This grant can help home owners to either offset the cost of a deductible on their personal home insurance or help with flood-related clean-up costs.
The Region also offers a one-time Basement Flooding Prevention Subsidy Program. Residents can receive a maximum of $2,725.00. Some of the detail on the Region’s web site:
This table lists a breakdown of the maximum allowances for certain drainage system materials and work, under Halton Region’s Basement Flooding Prevention Subsidy Program.
Weeping Tile Disconnection / Sump Pump System
- Disconnection of the weeping tiles/foundation drains from the sanitary sewer system.
- Purchase & installation of a sump pump system; to receive storm water from the weeping tiles and to direct water to suitable location away from home.
- Covers costs for materials, labour, permit & taxes.
- Disconnection of Downspouts
- Costs associated with redirecting downspouts away from home and to cap the existing pipe leading to the weeping tiles at the side of the home.
- Subsidy is for ½ of all costs up to a maximum of $250.00*Backwater Valve
- Purchase & installation of suitably sized Mainline Fullport Backwater Valve (with clear cover); to prevent sewage flows from backing up into the basement.
- Covers costs for materials, labour, permit & taxes.
- Subsidy is for ½ of the invoiced total by contractor up to a maximum of $675.00. * Homeowners will only quality for this subsidy if they have demonstrated they do not have any downspout or weeping tile/foundation drain connections to the sanitary sewer or coinciding with measures to eliminate these connections.The Application Process: How do I apply?
- Contact the Basement Flood Prevention Subsidy Program Coordinator at 905-825-6000 ext. 7918 and arrange a time for a Regional Representative to conduct a Household Drainage Survey (HHDS) at your home.
- During the survey, the Regional Representative will assess the general installation and characteristics of your home, advise what work would be eligible for subsidy funding and obtain proof of past flooding (contractor invoices, insurance statements etc.). The work eligible for subsidy will be summarized and left with the homeowner for the Contractor’s use to help itemize the costs. A video inspection of the sanitary sewer lateral may be conducted.
This kind of situation is probably the first time many Burlington residents have had to deal with the Region. Most people don’t realize that close to half of the annual salary each city council member gets comes from the Region, where they serve as regional Councillors.
During the Christmas power outage due to snow and freezing rain the city was the contact point and for those really hard hit in rural Burlington the city had set up a command post in Kilbride.
Water damage is a Regional responsibility – which means dealing with an organization that is a bit removed from the average citizen. This was one of the few occasions when the Regional Chair, Gary Carr, did not have comforting words for the citizens.
There was some sunshine on Tuesday; for those who suffered no damage the world will continue to revolve. For those who did experience flooding – they now enter into that phase called “fighting with the insurance company”. When the Gazette met with the reclamation company – there was no opportunity to negotiate a price. It was fixed, firm and you had better take it now before all the crews were sent elsewhere. We gulped and signed the agreement.
Once the water is out of the lower level and it is close to dry, we then get to find a contractor to replace the dry wall and decide what colour we want the space to be.
A final comment – the neighbours were great.
Try doing what Sheila speaks of or trying to bail water or get to a dry place to stay if you are a senior or a disabled person or had recent surgery etc.
Try living in a condo building where ALL the cars in the garage parking were flooded.
Try living in a condo building where you have to walk up 6 flights of stairs because the elevators are flooded