In St. Catharines, Ontario, remnants of recent flooding can still be seen along the streets with furniture, mattresses, and drywall piled up outside homes. These items serve as a stark reminder of the destruction caused by consecutive major storms within a short span of 11 to 12 days, as outlined by Mayor Mat Siscoe.
Mayor Siscoe highlighted that while the initial storm was managed by the stormwater system, subsequent storms overwhelmed the already saturated ground, leading to widespread overland flooding and sewer backups affecting residences. Some homes even experienced sewage entering their premises.
‘They’re back under water again’
Amid the recent deluge, Dave White, who operates White Orchard Farms near St. David’s, faced inundation of his garlic fields situated at the base of the Niagara Escarpment. Fortunately, White had harvested his garlic a week before the floods, learning from past experiences to safeguard his crops against such calamities.
White, who also runs a restoration business, expressed how overwhelming it has been in the past few weeks, receiving distress calls from homeowners grappling with flooded properties.
According to White, the recurring flooding issues are likely to worsen unless there is substantial investment in upgrading the drainage and sewage infrastructure, strained partly due to new construction developments.
System built 150 years ago
Mayor Siscoe pointed out that the recent flooding in St. Catharines was not due to specific infrastructure failures but rather a result of an overwhelmed system that has been in place for over a century. This situation mirrors challenges faced nationwide, with Statistics Canada reporting that a significant portion of water and wastewater infrastructure across Canada is in poor condition.
While efforts to enhance sewer systems have been ramped up in St. Catharines, the complete overhaul of the system would entail billions of dollars, a task hindered by a shortage of contractors and labor force for swift replacement.
Anneke Smit, from the University of Windsor, emphasized the need for prioritizing climate mitigation in urban planning decisions to combat the repercussions of extreme weather events like the recent floods.
Storms beyond what system was built for
Engineering manager Adam Keane highlighted that the recent rainfall in the Niagara region surpassed the design thresholds of existing drainage infrastructure. The storms exceeded the criteria for a 100-year event, posing challenges for the drainage systems that were not designed to handle such intensity.
City officials acknowledged that the treatment plants received a flow several times higher than usual, causing them to operate beyond their capacity and enter a bypass state.
Preparing for future floods
To enhance resilience, St. Catharines is exploring various strategies beyond pipe replacements. An independent review of flood response and infrastructure is underway, and a flood resilience plan is being developed to pinpoint vulnerable areas for improvements.
The city is considering redesigning parks to absorb excess rainwater during floods and may mandate new projects to demonstrate stormwater retention capabilities. However, Mayor Siscoe stressed the need for additional provincial and federal funding to address the exorbitant cost of overhauling wastewater infrastructure.
Mayor Siscoe emphasized the long-term nature of this endeavor, citing the need for a comprehensive approach to safeguard residents’ quality of life and tackle infrastructure challenges efficiently.
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