'Bit of an operational task': Water pooling due to windrow stacking adds to city crew workload
Water pooling on residential roads due to blocked drains is an emerging concern the City of Edmonton says it is tackling.
At a media update on Monday, Andrew Grant, the city's supervisor of field operations, explained that crews were dealing with several residential areas where stacked windrows have inadvertently blocked drainage access, causing pooling water that can create icy conditions.
"With the warmer weather, catch basins have become a bit of an operational task to release the water that we see ponding," Grant said.
"This is something that we usually deal with in the spring," he added. "It's just a constant battle with Mother Nature this year."
"It's nothing new to us when it comes to the ponding of water around those catch basins," he added, "(it's just) not something we usually see this time of year."
Mitch Waters had to clear out some of the windrow covering the catch basin near his home to help drain pooling water in front of his driveway — on his day off nonetheless.
"There's been some large windrows pilling up," Waters said, adding that the city has done a good job of making sure driveways remain accessible.
"(They) just need to make sure that we keep those water mains clear so that we can get some good runoff," he said.
Mitch Waters decided to take matters into his own hands and chip away at some of the windrows blocking a catch basin near his home (CTV News Edmonton/Dave Mitchell).
Grant said city crews are working with EPCOR to identify and respond to neighbourhoods experiencing flooding due to covered drains.
The city reinforced that it does not do windrow removal along residential streets. Crews are undertaking a pilot project testing windrow removal in the Griesbach area to help the city assess the process and cost of it.
Anyone experiencing flooding due to ponding is asked to report it to 311 Grant said so city crews and EPCOR can respond. The level of flooding determines the priority of response and whether there is property damage or potential for it.
"When we see these fluctuating temperatures, this is one of the complications that we have, especially in relation to the windrows that we are seeing," he added.
"We will continue to work throughout the city to expose and open up some of those catch basins."
To see the location of catch basins in your area, visit the City of Edmonton Open Data Portal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.