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Major upgrades

A master plan to reduce flooded basements, overflowing sewers and water to the treatment plant could run around $12 million over the next five to six years.
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A master plan to reduce flooded basements, overflowing sewers and water to the treatment plant could run around $12 million over the next five to six years.

Focusing on four of the hardest hit areas from the May 2012 flood, the city's neighbourhood master stormwater and drainage study looked at existing stormwater collection, drainage issues and developed a plan to help. Northwood, the Intercity area and two parts of the East End were all studied.

It recommends the city design storm sewers, which it's spent $34 million separating from sanitary sewers since 1993 with only 14 kilometres left to go, to handle a five-year storm rather than the current two used commonly in the province.
Storm sewer upgrades, already approved for 2014 at $1.2 million, would slowly increase over the next five or so years.

Mayor Keith Hobbs asked why the city couldn't prepare for the worst-case scenario like 2012 but city engineering manager Pat Mauro said the city would have to rebuild all of its infrastructure to make that happen.

"It's not feasible," he said. 

Residents would also do their part by taking advantage of the drainage rebate program for things like sump pumps, and back-flow prevention valves.

Council approved the report.





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