Living in a lakeside community, the Town of Georgina and its residents often face issues of flooding. During spring weather conditions and heavy rainfall events, water levels in local creeks and watercourses can rise and be dangerous.
Drainage and flooding
During heavy rain or rapid snowmelt, water may pool around your house or accumulate in driveways or patios. This may lead to standing water, difficulty of water flow or unwanted water on your property.
Drainage issues are usually caused by:
- compacted soil
- filled in or blocked side yard
- backyard drainage swales
- blocked private catch basin
- incorrect grading
- improper location and installation of landscape features like a fence or flowerbeds
- excessive precipitation
Managing standing or excess water using landscaping, rain-scaping techniques, proper grading and maintaining your catch basin or stormwater drainage swale will reduce surface water getting into your home.
Flooding safety tips
- Watercourses will be flowing higher than normal causing streams and rivers to become dangerous, especially in the vicinity of culverts and bridges. Children and pets should stay away from all watercourses.
- Keep ditches, culverts, drains and catch basins free of any debris to prevent possible flooding.
- Be mindful of road closures and adhere to detour signs should there be water over the road.
- At home, check your sump pump regularly to ensure it is working properly. Make sure your pump is discharging at a high point on your lawn to ensure it does not redirect back into your basement. It is advisable to have a backflow preventer on your sump pump discharge line.
- If you experience flooding in your basement, be mindful of electrical hazards that may be present.
- If you have sustained personal property damage please contact your insurance company.
- After flooding, well owners should take action to make sure their water supply is safe for consumption. See these tips from Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
- Be prepared. York Region’s Emergency Preparedness Guide advises how to keep your family safe during a number of emergency events, including flooding.
- Follow the Town’s social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and check the website for updates.
To report road flooding during business hours, call 905-476-4301. For after-hours emergencies, call the same number and follow the prompts to reach on-call staff.