Drainage

The Township of Southwold is responsible for the management of municipal drains that are located within our municipal boundaries. The Government of Ontario has an informative fact sheet on what a municipal drain is.

These drainage systems are vital to communities, roads and surrounding lands. They help to reduce flooding, improve safety and reduce property damage.

Municipal drains are created through provincial legislation called the Drainage Act. This law provides direction on how a new municipal drain can be built. It also details how existing drains can be improved or maintained. All municipal drains are created and passed as a By-Law by the Township of Southwold Council.

All drains are constructed or improved by a report from an Engineer. These drainage reports contain plans, profiles and specifications that outline the location, size and depth of the drain. The report also talks about how all of the costs are shared among property owners that are within the watershed of the drain.

Information on understanding drainage and how it affects your property can be found by searching on the Ontario Government website.

Have a drainage issue?

For more information related to municipal drains and your property, please contact the Drainage Superintendent by email or by phone at 519-769-2010. We can assist with questions about drainage concerns, petitioning to construct a new drain, improvement or maintenance of an existing drain.

To request maintenance or repair on a municipal drain, please submit a drain maintenance request.