Site Accessibility Information Access Key 1 to Skip to Top Navigation Access Key 2 to Skip to the Three One One link Access Key 3 to Skip to City of Winnipeg Main Menu Access Key 4 to Skip to Left Navigation Menu Access Key 5 to Skip to Content area Access Key 6 to Skip to Right Sidebar content area Access Key 7 to Skip to Footer Links

Good Friday and Easter Monday – View holiday hours for City of Winnipeg facilities and services from March 29 to April 1.

Good Friday and Easter Monday – View holiday hours for City of Winnipeg facilities and services from March 29 to April 1.

Downspout discharge violation - Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Expand all | Collapse all

Water from your downspouts is likely draining illegally. It is against the City of Winnipeg Lot Grading By-law to drain water from your downspouts onto a neighbouring property, lane, boulevard, sidewalk, street or boulevard.

If your neighbours' downspout drains the same as yours, your neighbour has probably received a notice as well. When someone reports a by-law violation, we inspect the surrounding properties. We send notices to anyone we are aware of who is draining water from their downspouts illegally.

If you ignore the notice, you are disobeying the By-law. We could take the following action:

  • do the work ourselves and add the costs to your property tax bill,
  • charge you for any of our costs resulting from your illegal drainage (e.g., for placing sand or removing ice to make public areas safe, for repairing damages to the sidewalk, street or lane), or
  • prosecute you in Provincial Court.

Check your own lot grading to make sure that your lot is graded properly. Talk to your neighbour, who may not be aware of the problem.

Many homes in older areas had their downspouts connected to the sewer system. Flooding would often occur during a heavy rainstorm causing the sewer system to back up. Downspouts must now be disconnected from the sewer system to allow rain water to flow onto the ground.

  • Make sure that your property is graded properly and that you have proper slope away from your foundation.
  • Check the drainage along the property line to see if there are any high spots that might be blocking drainage or low spots that are holding water.
  • Contact an expert such as a professional engineer or Manitoba Land Surveyor to survey the elevations of your property. You could also contact a landscape architect or landscape contractor to provide suggestions for improvements.
  • Contact 311. Our lot grade inspector will examine both properties and recommend improvements.

Yes. If we receive a report, we will inspect the property and issue a notice of by-law violation if necessary. The owner must then correct the violation by the deadline stated in the notice.

Contact 311 if you have any other questions about downspouts and downspout discharge.

Last updated: February 24, 2014

Was this information helpful?

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.

Ces renseignements sont-ils utiles?

Comment pourrait-on améliorer cette page Web?

Les renseignements recueillis serviront à l’amélioration de notre site Web. Prière de ne pas se servir de ce formulaire pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, car la demande ne sera pas transmise au service en question. Pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec le 311.

Le présent formulaire ne vise pas à recueillir des renseignements personnels. Cependant, les renseignements personnels que vous choisissez d’inclure dans vos commentaires sont recueillis par la Ville de Winnipeg en conformité avec l’alinéa 36(1)b) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et la protection de la vie privée dans le but d’améliorer son site Web et ne seront ni utilisés ni divulgués pour d’autres raisons, sauf dans les cas où cela est autorisé par la loi. Communiquez avec l’agent de l’accès à l’information et de la protection de la vie privée de la Ville par courrier au Bureau du greffier, immeuble Susan-A.-Thompson, 510, rue Main, Winnipeg (Manitoba) R3B 1B9, ou par téléphone au 311 si vous avez des questions sur la collecte de ces renseignements.