Sewer Master Plan Implementation

Background

The City completed the Sewer and Coastal Flood Protection Master Plan (SMP) Class Environmental Assessment (EA), which took a system-wide approach to identify existing flood-prone areas for surface, basement, and coastal flooding. The SMP then also identified solutions, by priority, to address and reduce the risk of flooding during extreme rainfall or caused by high coastal water levels. 

On July 27, 2020, Council endorsed the recommendations set out within the SMP, which included a long-term $5 billion implementation strategy over 50-plus years. The approved strategy outlined a number of immediate priority projects, including those under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF-1) and various other City programs and initiatives with similar targets to reduce basement and surface flooding. The SMP strategy identified a number of future projects to address the City's long-term needs that were categorized as high, medium, or low priority.

More information about the completed Sewer and Coastal Flood Protection Master Plan Class Environmental Assessment can be found on the Completed Environmental Assessments webpage.

Multifaceted Flood Risk Reduction Solutions

The recommended solutions from the SMP are made of a combination of various types of infrastructure improvements, as shown below in Figure 1.

Figure 1: SMP Recommended Solution Types

Figure 1, SMP Recommended Solution Types

To achieve the SMP flood reduction objectives, a partnering approach between private property owners and the City is required. Private property owners are urged to help protect their properties from flooding and ease the burden on the City's sewer system with recommended source control and on-site protection measures. Source control measures are things that can be done to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the sewer system in the first place (i.e. at the source). Source control measures fall into two categories private (for example, foundation drain and downspout disconnection) and municipal (for example, sealing sanitary maintenance holes and backflow prevention).  

The City will integrate municipal controls as part of the design and planning for future capital projects and continues to explore policies, procedures, and incentives to motivate private property owners to adopt similar measures. 

Figure 2 and Figure 3 below detail the estimated costs for each SMP priority within the recommended $5 billion implementation strategy. A more specific breakdown of the estimated expenses has been included for both private and public source control measures. For additional details of the SMP's recommendations see the SMP Executive Summary.

Figure 2, Sewer Master Plan Solutions Financial Cost Breakdown

Figure 3, Source Control Measure Breakdown

Sewer Master Plan Implementation (SMPI)

The SMP Implementation (SMPI) project and SMP Executive Committee were created to support the recommended SMP strategy and were approved by Council on February 22, 2021. 

On an ongoing basis, the SMPI and SMP Executive Committee reassess project priorities based on the identification of immediate and long-term needs, funding opportunities and changes to the system (for example, intensification due to development). The priority review assesses all projects based on the original SMP classification of high, medium, and low priority flood mitigation solutions. The SMPI continues to play a key role in decision-making for annual budget planning, updating municipal policies, reviewing potential subsidy programs, and exploring opportunities for future public and private partnerships.

On March 18, 2024, an SMPI annual status update for 2023 was presented to Council. This presentation included a priority projects map as a snapshot of the SMPI status. The projects identified on the map are categorized based on the below criteria:

  • Completed: SMP Projects/Studies completed to date;
  • Priority 1: projects currently underway or projects that are partially or fully-funded within the capital budget in the 5-year funding timeframe; and
  • Priority 2: projects of high priority within the SMP Program, either not currently funded or noted as planned commitments within a 5-to-10-year timeframe.

As of December 31, 2023, approximately $301 million has been allocated to projects falling under the SMPI and major capital projects that are focused on flood mitigation solutions (collectively referred to as the “SMP Projects”) through various iterations of the capital budget and various Council resolutions. 

For detailed inquiries, please contact:

Ian Wilson, P. Eng, MASc.
Water & Wastewater Engineer
(519) 255-6100 Ext. 6369
Email: iwilson@citywindsor.ca 

For general information, call 311.