Residential & Neighbourhoods

Drainage and Flood Prevention

Severe thunderstorms are a fact of life in Edmonton.

Often, during the summer months, rain storms drench the city in short periods of time. Golf ball sized hail clumps together in the fast-moving rainwater, clogging sewer drains. As a result, streets, roadways and homes may be flooded causing extensive damage to public and private properties.

The City set up the Flood Prevention Program to address the problems, improve the sanitary and stormwater systems, and equip homeowners with the information and knowledge to make drainage and lot grading improvements.

Actions during/after an intense rain storm

Call 311 to report any dislodged manhole covers, pooling on roads, clogged catch basins, and any basement flooding.

Stay away from manhole covers that are being dislodged during a storm due to high water and air pressure. Manhole covers are heavy and could cause injury.

Use caution when driving through underpasses during storms. The water levels in underpasses could become quite high and cause vehicles to become partially submerged and/or stall.

During and immediately after a storm, City crews will first be dealing with any dislodged manhole covers that may have popped due to high volume rain, and with any pooling of roads due to clogged catch basins from debris as a result of the heavy rain and/or hail.

City crews will respond to any reports of basement flooding after addressing the top priorities of public safety and roadway access for emergency crews; this may not happen till after the storm subsides, and may even take a few days depending on the number of calls.

If you are experiencing basement flooding, proceed with caution. Call 311 to report the flooding in your home; provide your address and contact information so this information can be logged in the City’s system.

While City crews do not actually clean up flooded basements (that is the owner’s responsibility), City crews can provide advice on what needs to be done. When it is safe to do so, you should clean up and dry out your basement as quickly as possible.

Emergency Contacts & Inquiries

Sewer Trouble: 24-Hour Numbers

Blocked sewer service	311
Drainage or sewer trouble	311
Flooded basement or street	311
Sewer odour or illegal dumping complaints	311
Gold Bar odour complaint hotline (EPCOR)	780-412-3414

General Numbers

Drainage general information	311
Drainage environmental concerns	311
Flood prevention program - home check-up	780-944-7777
Gold Bar wastewater treatment plant (EPCOR)	780-412-3414
Lot grading information and assistance	780-496-5576
Lot grading re-inspection requests	311
Permanent Area Contributions (PAC)	780-496-3618
Stormwater management lakes	311
Sump pump discharge	311
Utility bill inquiries and complaints (EPCOR)	310-4300
Water & sewer service inquiries	780-496-5444 or 311