We are happy to report that there were no flood-related injuries yesterday and that all emergency services returned to normal operations this morning.
The flooding impacts were severe for some residents though. To date, the City’s 3-1-1 Service has received about 130 calls related to basement flooding, with the highest volumes coming from the Alta Vista, Knoxdale-Merivale and College Wards. There was a significant increase in call volume yesterday and so we are encouraging residents to try again today if they did not speak to an agent directly – all flooding should be reported to 3-1-1.
The City’s Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) has been hard at work performing inspections related to sewer and drain issues. IWSD has received about 160 requests, to date. The process is for residents to call 3-1-1, which will trigger a formal inspection. Based on the results of the inspection, IWSD may recommend mitigations.
We anticipate that all road closures will be lifted today. All major roadways and arteries that were affected yesterday, have already been cleared and are open as per usual. The City’s Public Works Department (PWD) has been prioritizing the clearing of remaining catch basins since early this morning. They are also doing street sweeping, as required. In addition, PWD staff have been assessing the status of all City parks today, with a focus on those that are known to have scheduled activities this weekend.
As a result of the flooding yesterday, some residents will have higher volumes of curbside waste collection. Any flood damaged furniture or waste – excluding construction materials – will be collected as part of the regular curbside collection schedule.
The City’s Public Information and Media Relations team will continue to keep the City’s storm website (www.ottawa.ca/en/storm-update) up to date, and will also continue to post relevant information on social media.
The City’s storm website contains information about sewer back-ups and basement flooding. For those seeking stand-alone links related to flood guidance though, please refer to the following:
The City has largely returned to normal operations although all City sports fields, ball diamonds, and public beaches remain closed today.
Public Works Department, as well as Infrastructure and Water Services Department will continue their recovery work.
The City’s Office of Emergency Management will continue to monitor on-going issues, particularly related to any supports required for impacted residents. We have had outreach, for example, from Samaritan’s Purse, as well as the Christian Aid Ministries and RespondOttawa.
These organizations have offered to support vulnerable residents who need assistance with debris clean up and removal. All requests for this assistance can be sent to Samaritan’s Purse, who can be reached at 1-844-547-2663. The City will also be sharing this opportunity on our website.
