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Water, water
everywhere in Huron-Kinloss
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Huron-Kinloss Council |
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Huron-Kinloss council came under fire about water problems throughout most of the general committee meeting Monday night (April 6). Harry and Carol Helfenstein are upset with the flooding on their property at 12 Pine St., along the lakeshore. Harry Helfenstein presented council with chapter and verse of the Ontario Building Code regarding proper drainage, and specifically pointed to the section that states drainage should not adversely affect adjacent properties. "Why are your (zoning) bylaws and the Ontario Building Code not being followed? Why are they not being enforced?" he asked. "The road crew came out and said a drainage ditch along Pine Street would solve the problem. We're pumping out all our water, plus that from our neighbours." Chief building official Matt Farrell said the Ontario Building Code doesn't apply to the older house on Birch Street that Helfenstein is referring to - it was built before the code was in place. "The house to the south of us was built last year," countered Helfenstein. Public works director Hugh Nichol said the problem is that the lots where water used to collect now have houses on them so there is nowhere for the water to go. A drainage ditch would take two to three years for approval and construction, he said. Farrell said everybody's water is flowing onto the Helfenstein property and there is a high water table this year which compounds the problem. "Our building inspector is telling us that all the bylaws were followed," said mayor Mitch Twolan. He invited the Helfensteins to remain for a later presentation, regarding water problems in Blair's Grove. Murray Jamieson, speaking on behalf of a
large crowd of homeowners from Blair's Grove, told council there is a
lot of flooding in that area of Point Clark because of poor drainage,
particularly a blocked drainage line. 07/04/2009 11:43 PM |
A drainage ditch, running north south, with a perforated standpipe at the south end would solve the problem, he said, noting that there is only a six-inch drain line drawing the water from properties in the Gordon Street and Hill Street area, when it should be a 12- to 15-inch line. "If you replace that six-inch line with 12-inch line, that would help," Jamieson said, "as well as increase the drain size and install a grate." He added that proper-sized culverts on Gordon and Hill Streets would also alleviate a lot of the flooding. "We need the township to examine its drainage ditch and correct this. We don't want a problem like Lucknow (where sewage backed up into the basements)." "I promised not to ever mention this again," said councillor Jim Hanna, "but could a municipal drain correct the problem?" "Yes, it could," said drainage
superintendent Grant Collins. "Your suggestions are worthwhile," said Nichol. "Increasing the six-inch to a 12-inch solid pipe would be easy to do and could be considered maintenance work. We could also put a culvert under the far end of Gordon to Hill Street." "This could also help alleviate the flooding problem at Pine Street (where the Helfensteins live)," said Hanna. "We can't do anything until the land dries up," said Twolan,
then the public works director and drainage superintendent can go take a
look at the situation.
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