Spring flooding 2023

Updated Friday June 2, 11:30 am

Residents in Cumberland and West Carleton who still need to dispose of used sandbags are asked to leave them for curbside pickup by 9 am on Monday, June 12, which is the date of the last special curbside pickup.

Sand and sandbags that have come into contact with flood waters may have been exposed to contaminants. Please wear gloves when handling them. Also, never dispose of sandbag contents in lakes, rivers, beaches, parks or other protected areas.

Any flood-related household waste/trash can be placed at the curb as part of your regular garbage collection.

For information on water levels and flood plains, see the following websites:

• Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority
• Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board
• Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
• Ontario Power Generation
• Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
• South Nation Conservation

Find out if your home is in a flood plain.

Septic Systems

If your septic system is affected, please contact 3-1-1 to report your location so that the City can implement appropriate additional response measures and provide you with information on supports available.

Ottawa Public Health recommends that you do not use the septic system (e.g., no flushing toilets or draining water from sinks, bathtubs, showers or dishwashers) until the water level around the house is lower than the in the septic drainage field and enough time has been given for the soil to adequately drain. The soil requires additional time to drain in order to allow sewage to be absorbed. This may take several weeks after flood waters recede depending on the length of time the system was under water and the soil conditions.

Private Wells

If flood waters have reached the level of your well head, or covered your well head, your well water may be contaminated and not safe to drink.

Residents who own private wells affected by flooding are advised to:

• The best option is to stop using your well water and use another potable water source such as bottled water for ALL water use, including drinking, preparing food, cleaning, bathing, hand washing.
• If you want to continue to use your well water and do not suspect chemical contamination, bring the water to a rolling boil for at least one minute and let it cool before using it for drinking, making infant formula, juices, ice or recipes, brushing your teeth, rinsing contact lenses, and washing food or dishes. Refrigerate your boiled water until it is used. 
  • If you suspect chemical contamination of your drinking water and well, please contact the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) well help desk at 613-521-3450.
• Do not test your well water during a flood.

For more information on Septic Systems and Private Wells during and after flooding, please visit Ottawa Public Health’s online resources.

Electricity

• If your power was disconnected, you will need to contact your hydro utility company
  • Hydro Ottawa: 613-738-0188 
  • Hydro One: 1-800-434-1235 
• If your fuse/breaker panels, electrical appliances, and any outlets have been flooded, inspections and repairs will be required by a licensed electrical contractor before the utility company can restore your power.
• The licensed electrical contractor will file the completed work with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and the hydro utility company will be able to restore your power.  A copy of the work will be provided to you for insurance purposes.
• For more information about restoring and arranging repairs, call the ESA at 1-877-372-7233 or visit their website at easafe.com.

Enbridge Gas

If Enbridge has shut off gas due to flooding and you want it turned on again:

• Contact Enbridge at 1-877-362-7434
• Enbridge will come and do a property assessment to determine if it is safe to reconnect the gas supply
• Once inspection has passed, the homeowner must contact an approved HVAC contractor
• The HVAC contractor will connect all gas-fueled appliances (furnace, hot water tank, dryer, stove, etc)

 Visit Enbridgegas.com for more flooding safety information.

Curbside collection of used sandbags begins Tuesday, May 23 and will continue intermittently for the next couple of weeks.  Please bring filled used sandbags to the curb for collection

 Sand and sandbags that have come into contact with flood waters may have been exposed to contaminants. Please wear gloves when handling them. Also, never dispose of sandbag contents in lakes, rivers, beaches, parks or other protected areas.

Separate your debris

• Household waste
  • Place at the end of the curb as part of the regular garbage and recycling collection
• Organic waste
  • Place at the curb for weekly green bin collection
• Sandbags
  • Bring them to the side of the curb and the City will collect them. Place bags separate from other debris
• Tree cuttings, branches and brush
  • Place at the end of the curb separate from non-organic, flood-related waste
• Household hazardous waste
  • Visit Waste Explorer for disposal information

• Do not place debris near or on trees, poles or other structures as this makes removal difficult. This includes fire hydrants. If you don’t have a sidewalk, ditch, or utility line in front of your house, place debris at the edge of your property before the curb.  

Road closures

Up to date information on road closures caused by flooding is available on our Interactive Traffic Map

National Capital Commission affected pathways (includes a map)

• Before an emergency
• Flood Ready - Canada.ca
• Tips to prevent basement flooding
• Information about Residential Flooding on OttawaPublicHealth.ca.
• Spring maintenance and flood control

Residents can help prevent basement flooding with a few simple changes around the home:

• Seal window wells and cracks in floors, walls and the foundation.
• Slope ground away from the foundation to allow rainwater to flow away from the home.
• Direct downspouts from eaves troughs away from the foundation (minimum of 1.2 metres) or to a rain barrel.
• Disconnect downspouts from the sewer system or foundation drains.
• Ensure foundation drains direct water to the storm sewer or sump pump. Foundation drains should not be connected to the sanitary sewer.
• Ensure the sump pump is connected to the storm sewer or discharges to the ground at least 1.2 metres from the foundation.
• Install protective plumbing devices, such as backwater valves which protect against surcharging in City sewers. The City’s Residential Protective Plumbing Program offer rebates to qualified homeowners.
• Maintain existing protective plumbing devices according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A protective plumbing device should be maintained periodically or before a forecasted heavy rainfall to ensure it is free of debris, functioning properly and that cleanout caps and access covers are firmly secured.
  • In older homes, especially those with cast iron pipes, additional maintenance may be required, as rust can accumulate at the hinge and prevent proper closure of the backwater valve during a surcharge event.
  • For more tips on backwater valve maintenance, refer to a video on Backwater Valve Maintenance from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction.

For more tips on preventing basement flooding, refer to the Handbook for Reducing Basement Flooding from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction.

The City of Ottawa is providing sand and sandbags to residents who require them at the following locations:

• 29 Hurdman Road

Before you begin

Are you feeling unwell in any way? Please return home and isolate yourself and visit the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 assessment screening tool and follow the directions.

Please review the Ottawa Public Health "Prevention of respiratory illnesses" page.