Winnipeg, MB - As temperatures rise, City of Winnipeg crews are hard at work undertaking a variety of street maintenance work and flood preparation.
Street maintenance activities
City crews are engaged in a variety of activities this spring, including repairing potholes, addressing frozen catch basins, culverts, and inlets, addressing isolated slippery conditions on streets as required, and producing sandbags for possible river and overland flooding.
Crews are repairing potholes in all areas of the city and are focusing their patching efforts on main routes, bus routes, and collector streets as these are the routes that carry most of the traffic travelling at higher speeds. Very large or deep potholes that pose an imminent safety concern to traffic are forwarded directly to field crews for inspection and immediate attention.
Crews continue to monitor road conditions, and will apply salt to roadways as required to address icy conditions. Motorists are reminded to slow down, drive to road conditions, and to be mindful of roadway conditions.
The City currently has crews opening frozen curb inlets and catch basins, and clearing ditches and culverts to allow snow run-off to drain from streets and improve drainage. Removing snow, ice, and debris accumulations helps to prevent an accumulation of water on properties and roadways.
Residents are asked to contact 311 to report potholes, or frozen sewer inlets, culverts, and catch basins.
Flood preparations
Details on the City’s response to potential river flooding will be determined once the Province of Manitoba presents its updated detailed outlook, which is anticipated in the coming days.
City employees have been working on annual spring flood preparations for several weeks. The City is reviewing its river flood protection measures, making preparations for temporary and permanent pumping, closing river gates, and sealing manholes, among other activities.
At this time, sandbags are being made available for pick-up by Winnipeg residents who need to protect their properties against overland flooding. Residents picking up sandbags for overland flooding will be required to provide photo identification to confirm their Winnipeg residency.
Winnipeg residents can now pick up sandbags for overland flooding at the following locations between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.:
Springtime thaws also increase the risk of basement flooding across the city. Homeowners are reminded to take steps to protect their homes and property. Although basement flooding is a risk at any time of the year, the risk increases in the spring because the sewer system must rely heavily on pumping stations rather than gravity to carry the water runoff due to higher river levels.
Homeowners are reminded to take the following steps to protect their homes and property:
- To ensure maximum protection against basement flooding, arrange for a licensed plumber to install a sewer line backup valve and a sump pit with pump in the basement.
- Inspect backup valves and sump pump drainage systems to make sure they are functioning properly.
- Ensure drainage is directed away from the home by extending downspouts away from the basement walls and ensuring the earth is built up around the house.
Property owners are reminded it is against the law to drain sump pump water into the basement floor drain or any other part of the house plumbing system, as it can overtax the sewer system placing their basement and those of their neighbours at risk of flooding and damage.
For more information, please see: City of Winnipeg – EmergWeb
Thin Ice Safety
Due to warming temperatures, residents are advised that thin ice conditions are present on Winnipeg waterways, including drainage ditches, culverts, streams, creeks, retention ponds and rivers. In addition, all skating ponds and outdoor rinks have been closed for the season.
Parents and teachers are urged to speak to children and students about the dangers of waterways. The ice surfaces are thin and fragile, and falling into ice-cold water can be deadly.
The public is also reminded that while the Winnipeg Police Service’s River Patrol Unit places “Danger - Thin Ice” signage at specific locations including outfalls, retention ponds, and other potentially dangerous areas, ALL ice should be considered unsafe even if warning signage is not present.
For information on thin ice safety, please visit Winnipeg Police Service – River Patrol or contact the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service – Public Education Branch.