Flooding
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
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Protection from water damage and sewer backup
River flooding
- How will I know if I need sandbags to protect my home from river flooding?
- If you tell me my property is at risk of river flooding and I need a dike to protect my home, will the City deliver the sandbags?
- Will City staff build the sandbag dike if I require one?
- If you tell me my property is at risk of river flooding and I need a dike to protect my home, will you tell me how high I need to build the dike?
- How do I build a dike?
- If I have difficulty building a dike, will City staff come to my property and offer technical advice?
- How long will I have to leave the dike in place?
- Will you take the dike down when my property is no longer at risk of river flooding?
- Will the City remove the sandbags from my property when my home is no longer at risk of river flooding?
- Can I reuse the sandbags or the sand after the risk of river flooding is over?
- Where can I find the current river levels?
Snowmelt on property
- Snowmelt from my yard is approaching my foundation. What steps can I take to prevent the snowmelt from seeping into my basement?
- Do you deliver sandbags to help prevent snowmelt from getting into my basement?
- Can I reuse the sandbags or the sand after the risk of snowmelt seepage is over?
- Where can I dispose of the sandbags once I no longer need them?
- There is water in my basement from snowmelt. Do you have a pump I can borrow?
- What steps can I take to prevent water from seeping into my basement in the future?
Overland flooding (e.g., overflowing water from creeks, ditches)
- Overflowing water is creeping up my property toward my home. Do you deliver sandbags to help prevent water from getting into my basement?
- Can I reuse the sandbags or the sand after the risk of overland flooding is over?
- Where can I dispose of the sandbags once I no longer need them?
Protection from water damage and sewer backup
What steps can I take to protect my home and contents?
There are many things you can do:
Arrange for a licensed plumber to install a backwater valve on a sewer line in the basement of your home. This device, if properly installed, automatically closes if sewage backs up from the main sewer. A backflow prevention device installed in the floor drain is not a Manitoba Plumbing Code approved backwater valve.
Install a sump pit drainage system (includes a sump pit, a sump pump and a pump discharge pipe).
Check and maintain your backwater valve and sump pit drainage system regularly.
Don't drain water from your sump pump into your floor drain. Not only is it illegal, it increases the risk of basement flooding for you and your neighbours. The sewer system is designed to manage only normal flows of wastewater, not sump pump water. Keep the end of the hose well away from your property line so that water does not flow onto the street, lane, boulevard, sidewalk, or your neighbour's property.
Improve drainage around your house.
Build up the ground around your house so that water flows away from your basement walls. Also examine sidewalks, patios, decks, and driveways. These can settle over time and cause water to drain back towards your basement walls.
Extend downspouts so that water flows away from your house and doesn't pool next to the basement walls or basement windows. If your downspouts are connected to your home's sewer system, disconnect them.
Clean debris from eavestroughs regularly. If they overflow even when clean, replace them with larger size eavestroughs and downspouts.
Don't throw garbage down your sinks or toilets. Garbage (e.g., dental floss, diapers, cotton swabs) that gets into your sewer through your drains can clog your sewer and cause sewer backup.
Avoid pouring fat, oil, and grease down your drain. Grease hardens as it cools and sticks to the inner lining of sewer pipes, eventually causing a blockage.
Prop appliances such as washers, dryers and freezers off the floor by putting blocks of wood under them so they don't get damaged by water. It is common for backups to be less than a few inches of water.
Don't store belongings in paper boxes on the floor in the basement. Store them on a shelf or in plastic totes.
Don't put grass clipping, leaves or other debris on the streets as they can plug the drains and prevent proper drainage, particularly during heavy rainfalls. Plugged drains cause water to build up on the street, which could cause water to drain into the sewer system through manhole covers and increase your risk of basement flooding. If you notice a plugged drain, contact 311.
River flooding
How will I know if I need sandbags to protect my home from river flooding?
We have identified homes that need sandbag protection and will be contacting the property owners directly. If you haven't heard from us and you believe your property to be at risk of river flooding, contact 311.
If you tell me my property is at risk of river flooding and I need a dike to protect my home, will the City deliver the sandbags?
Yes, as long as:
- you sign a waiver that we provide to you, and
- we have the sandbags made up. If there is an unexpected heavy demand on sandbags and we don't have enough made up, we will provide the bags and the sand and property owners must fill the bags
Will City staff build the sandbag dike if I require one?
No. Property owners are responsible for building their own dike. We recommend you contact friends, neighbours, relatives, your church or volunteers for assistance.
If you tell me my property is at risk of river flooding and I need a dike to protect my home, will you tell me how high I need to build the dike?
Yes. We will survey and stake the top of the dike for your property.
How do I build a dike?
Follow these detailed instructions which include construction plans, number of sandbags required and how-to videos.
If I have difficulty building a dike, will City staff come to my property and offer technical advice?
Yes, we will do our best to accommodate requests within our available resources.
How long will I have to leave the dike in place?
We will contact property owners to advise them when the risk is over.
Will you take the dike down when my property is no longer at risk of river flooding?
No. Property owners are responsible for taking down their dike.
Will the City remove the sandbags from my property when my home is no longer at risk of river flooding?
No. Property owners are responsible for disposing of their sandbags.
Can I reuse the sandbags or the sand after the risk of river flooding is over?
River water contains bacteria. If the river water has touched the sandbags, we don't recommend you reuse the sand or the sandbags. We recommend you take them to a landfill for disposal.
Where can I find the current river levels?
On our river levels at Winnipeg page.
Snowmelt on property
Snowmelt from my yard is approaching my foundation. What steps can I take to prevent the snowmelt from seeping into my basement?
- move snow away from your foundation
- ensure the snowmelt has a clear path to drain away from your foundation and can follow the normal drainage path off your property
- ensure downspout extensions are in place
- ensure water from your sump pump is directed away from your foundation
- place sandbags around your foundation where snowmelt could enter, such as around basement windows - place the bags far enough away from your foundation (at least two feet) so that you can ensure that snowmelt doesn't collect between the foundation and the sandbags
Do you deliver sandbags to help prevent snowmelt from getting into my basement?
No. However, we will have sandbags available for pick-up by Winnipeg residents only when there is a threat of flooding.
Can I reuse the sandbags or the sand after the risk of snowmelt seepage is over?
If the sandbag has not come into contact with any contaminated material (e.g., sewage, animal waste), you can reuse the sand or sandbags.
Where can I dispose of the sandbags once I no longer need them?
Take them to a landfill.
There is water in my basement from snowmelt. Do you have a pump I can borrow?
No. We don't lend out pumps as we only have enough pumps for our work. We recommend you contact a licensed plumber.
What steps can I take to prevent water from seeping into my basement in the future?
We recommend you improve the drainage around your foundation so that rain, sump pump water and snowmelt drains away from your home.
Overland flooding (e.g., overflowing water from creeks, ditches)
Overflowing water is creeping up my property toward my home. Do you deliver sandbags to help prevent water from getting into my basement?
No. However, we will have sandbags available for pick-up by Winnipeg residents only when there is a threat of flooding.
Can I reuse the sandbags or the sand after the risk of overland flooding is over?
If the sandbag has not come into contact with any contaminated material (e.g., sewage, animal waste), you can reuse the sand or sandbags.
Where can I dispose of the sandbags once I no longer need them?
Take them to a landfill.
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This page was last updated on March 18, 2011 |
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