Municipal Drainage
History
The Town of Amherstburg has a total land area of approximately 203 square kilometres, of which approximately 193 square kilometres is rural area. The rural area in the Town of Amherstburg is virtually entirely under intensive agricultural production and the lands require effective artificial drainage to be productive. The majority of these storm drainage systems have been constructed under the Drainage Act. There are approximately 200 municipal drains which total 290 kilometres of open and closed drainage systems. In addition, there are 7 pump stations. Under current drainage legislation, the Town of Amherstburg is responsible for overseeing the maintenance, repair, improvement, or expansion of this drain infrastructure.
Drain Maintenance
Under Section 74 of the Drainage Act, municipalities are responsible to maintain municipal drainage systems within their jurisdiction. Drain maintenance within the jurisdiction of the Town of Amherstburg is considered upon request of the road authority, the drainage superintendent or landowner(s) within the watershed. The following is a procedure for initiating maintenance on a Municipal Drain:
- The Town of Amherstburg Public Works Department receives request for maintenance. (link to form)
- The Public Works staff prepares a report to Council to gain support for the municipal drain maintenance project.
- The Drainage Superintendent holds a site meeting with affected landowners to discuss the proposed maintenance of the drain.
- The Drainage Superintendent prepares a tender for the maintenance of the drain with consideration of all concerns from landowners present at the site meeting.
- The Public Works staff prepares a report to Council to award the municipal drain maintenance project to the successful contractor.
- Maintenance of the drain will be completed as recommended at the site meeting.
For further information, please read:
The assessed cost of maintenance will be invoiced in the year after construction. If the invoice is not paid, the cost of maintenance will be added to the final tax installment on the year of invoicing. The Municipality will obtain agricultural grants and bill the remainder as per the current by-law and engineer's report for the said municipal drain.
Drain Repair and Improvement
Under Section 78 of the Drainage Act, landowners can request to repair or to improve the whole or part of a drainage system. All projects under Section 78 require an appointment of a drainage engineer to prepare an engineer's report. The following are common landowner requests for repair and improvements:
- New access bridges or culverts
- Replacement of existing bridges or culverts
- Installation of piping to enclose the drain (ditch)
- Relocation of the drain (ditch)
The following is a procedure for a request to repair or improvement to a municipal drain:
- The Town of Amherstburg receives request for repair or improvement. (link to form)
- The Public Works staff prepares a report to Council to gain support for the Municipal drain improvement project. In addition, Council will appoint the engineer for the project.
- The appointed Drainage Engineer along the Drainage Superintendent conducts a site meeting with affected landowners to discuss the proposed repair or improvement project.
- The Drainage Engineer prepares an engineer's report for the proposed project with consideration of all concerns from landowners present at the site meeting.
- The Drainage Engineer submits the engineer's report to the municipality for consideration at a future Amherstburg Concil meeting.
- The Public Works circulates the engineer's report and a notice of the meeting to consider to all assessed parties as outlined in the report.
- The Amherstburg Council conducts the meeting to consider and court of revision which allows further input for the assessed landowners. Council adopts the engineer's report by By-Law as required under the Drainage Act.
- After all appeals are dealt with, the Town of Amherstburg tenders the project in accordance with the purchasing policy and construction is completed.
The assessed cost as per the engineer's report will be invoiced to the landowners directly. Landowners have the ability to debenture the cost over 5 years on your taxes, which include the interest rate of the debenture. For further information, please read:
Tile Loans
Tile loan funds are available through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and are administered on a first come first served basis. The term of the loan is 10 years and repayment is due annually. The interest rate for the loans issued under the program will be 6%, fixed for the 10 year term of the loan. Interest is compounded annually and the loan can be paid out any time without penalty.
Drainage Fact Sheets from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Duties of the Landowner Under the Drainage Act
Municipal Drains and the Landowner
The Planning and Maintenance of an Erosion Control System
More information available by visiting the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs website.
Town of Amherstburg Contact information:
Eric Chamberlain, Drainage Superintendent at echamberlain@amherstburg.ca 519-736-3664 ext 312
Lou Zarlenga, Director of Engineering and Infrastructure at lzarlenga@amherstburg.ca