Stormwater

Stormwater management is a core responsibility of the Town. The Town’s stormwater infrastructure helps to manage runoff, minimize the risk of flooding and erosion to protect people and properties, and protect our natural environment through mitigation of urban impacts on water quality. The Town is committed to providing safe and effective management of stormwater runoff while maintaining, and where possible improving, ecosystem health. 

The Town is responsible for managing stormwater infrastructure within municipally owned lands, or where there is an easement, in three ways:

  1. The planning, design and approval of municipal stormwater infrastructure. A responsibility led by Development Engineering.
  2. Routine and preventative maintenance over the life of the stormwater infrastructure. A responsibility led by Operations.
  3. Renewal and replacement of infrastructure at life cycle milestones. A responsibility led by Engineering Capital, Design and Construction.

Stormwater management is a shared responsibility. Within the Caledon, homeowners, the Region of Peel, and Conservation Authorities also play an important role. Homeowners are responsible for stormwater on their property, the Region of Peel approves, operates and maintains municipal stormwater management infrastructure within Regional Roads, and Conservation Authorities are responsible for rivers and streams.

The Region of Peel, in collaboration with the Town of Caledon, City of Brampton and City of Mississauga, has developed a guide to flood prevention and recovery for residential customers. The guide can be accessed at the following link: https://www.peelregion.ca/water/_media/flood-booklet.pdf

 What is stormwater?
Stormwater is runoff generated from rainfall and snowmelt that runs off of lawns, streets, parking lots, and impervious surfaces. Management of stormwater is necessary to protect people, properties and the natural environment. 
 Why do we manage stormwater?

When rain falls in natural environments, much of it is infiltrated through the soil and slowly discharged into local streams.

 

 

When rain falls in urban environments, much of it is not infiltrated. This is because roofs, roads, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces do not allow rain to infiltrate into the soil.

  • Instead, stormwater runs off these surfaces, picks up pollutants, and is discharged rapidly to local streams.
  • Also, urban stormwater runoff results in poor groundwater recharge.

 

 

Poor stormwater management leads to erosion, poor water quality, pollution and property damage caused by flooding. In order to mitigate the undesirable impacts of urbanization stormwater management practices are implemented to preserve the natural hydrologic cycle, and protect and enhance stormwater quality before it outlets to the natural environment.
 How does the Town manage stormwater?

Caledon is uniquely positioned in the headwaters of the Credit, Humber and Etobicoke Rivers with much of the landscape and its thriving environment influenced by the ecologically and hydrologically significant natural and scenic features of the Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine.

 

Together with the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, the Niagara Escarpment Plan and Watershed Plans, the Greenbelt Plan provides direction on the protection of the key natural features that comprise the Caledon landscape. With this unique geographical position, the Town works to manage the impacts of growth in line with each plan and is committed to sustaining the health of the natural landscape by working closely with Conservation Authorities.

 

The Town’s stormwater management infrastructure helps to manage runoff and minimize the risk of flooding. As the impacts of climate change continue to be felt, Caledon is expecting increased frequency and severity of rainstorms and droughts.

 

Changing precipitation patterns and Caledon’s continued growth require that the Town apply a treatment train approach to stormwater management. The treatment train approach involves managing rainfall at the lot level, along the conveyance path, and at the end-of-pipe to meet multiple objectives for quantity, quality and erosion control.

 

The use of a treatment train approach to stormwater management provides the redundancy necessary to building a sustainable Caledon. In addition to managing stormwater through a treatment train approach in new developments, the Town will continue to improve the operation and maintenance of stormwater throughout the existing urban network by including innovating practices in our older areas as opportunities arise.

 

Town's Stormwater Infrastructure

The Town’s stormwater system is comprised of a series of ditches, catchbasins, manholes, storm sewers, stormwater facilities and outfalls. The Town’s system is specifically comprised of:

  • 1090.3 km of roadside ditches
  • 243 km of storm sewer
  • 5863 catchbasins
  • 3012 Maintenance Holes
  • 289 Outfalls
  • 19 Low impact development facilities
  • 55 Wet Ponds
  • 19 Dry Ponds
  • 11 Infiltration Ponds
  • 17 Manufactured Treatment Devices (OGS, Jellyfish)

Drinking water and sanitary services in Caledon are provided by the Region of Peel.

The Region of Peel also manages stormwater on Regional Roads. For more information on the Region of Peel's Stormwater Master Plan, please visit this link: https://www.peelregion.ca/pw/transportation/residents/sw-road-infrastructure.asp

Catchbasins
Catchbasins are like a bathtub drains. They are typically placed at the curbside of streets and have a grated cover. They allow stormwater that runs off of impervious surfaces and flows along roads to enter the grated cover and travel into the underground storm sewer system.  
Maintenance Holes (Manholes)
Maintenance holes (Manholes) are located in the road, often closer to the centre of the road, to allow for inspection and maintenance of the underground storm sewer system. 
Storm Sewers
Storm sewers are pipes that receive stormwater that enters catchbasins. The storm sewer system is a network of underground pipes that convey stormwater to its destination, either the natural environment or a stormwater management facility. 
Manufactured Treatment Devices
Manufactured treatment devices, like Oil and Grit Separators, are underground stormwater treatment devices that are attached to storm sewer pipes. They remove sediment, screen debris, and separate floatables like gasoline, oil, grease, and light petroleum from stormwater. OGS units are well suited for small highly urbanized areas such as parking lots and roads.
Low Impact Development Practice
Low impact development practices are small distributed stormwater facilities that mimics natural hydrologic processes. These practices promote increased evapotranspiration, infiltration and groundwater recharge, and lower surface runoff volumes and flow rates. 
Stormwater Management Pond
A stormwater pond is a constructed depression designed to receive runoff and temporarily hold it. The stormwater in the pond is then released slowly over a period of time so that it does not cause flooding or erosion in the receiving environment. Stormwater ponds also allow contaminants in the water to fall to the bottom of the pond, resulting in cleaner water being discharged into the environment. 

Current and Recently Completed Projects

Some recent or current stormwater management projects that the Town has or is undertaking are presented below.

 

Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approval

The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Park's (MECP) stormwater approvals program is referred to as the Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approval (CLI-ECA). Through the CLI-ECA program the Province has enabled municipalities to issue approvals for low risk publicly owned stormwater infrastructure projects on their behalf. The CLI-ECA program is a more efficient approval process that enhance environmental protection, reduce processing timelines and provides clear, transparent consistent requirements across all Ontario municipalities.

The Town of Caledon began participation in the program in October 2022. 

One of the requirements of the CLI-ECA program is to prepare an annual stormwater report for the Town's municipal stormwater management system. The report must be prepared following the requirements established by MECP and summarize the work undertaken from January 1 to December 31 each year.

The 2023 Annual Report has been prepared which highlights operation, maintenance, resident concerns, alterations, spills and actions taken to improve performance associated with the Town's stormwater infrastructure.

The 2023 Annual Report is available through this link.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What can we do as residents to manage stormwater?

Residents play an important part of managing stormwater and protecting the natural environment by reducing sources of contamination and the amount of runoff coming from your property. Some ways to do this include: 

  • Use a carwash or wash your car on your lawn instead of washing your car in the driveway
  • Clean up animal waste
  • Minimize the use less fertilizer 
  • Fix leaking fluids from your car
  • Use appropriate amounts of salt or sand in the winter
  • Use rain barrels to collect roof runoff and use it to water your lawn
  • Disconnect your roof downspout if it is connected to a storm sewer, redirect the downspout to your lawn
  • Properly dispose of household hazardous waste
 Can we swim, skate or fish in stormwater management ponds?

The water levels in stormwater management ponds fluctuates rapidly making them significantly dangerous for residents to come in close proximity. Residents should not come close to stormwater management facilities. Stormwater ponds also represent locations where contaminants in stormwater are settled out making the quality of water potentially dangerous for residents. 

 

Residents should not swim, fish, boat, skate or litter in stormwater management ponds. The community is encouraged to enjoy the scenery and passive recreational activities such as walking and bird watching. 

 

Do not skate, sled or walk on stormwater ponds

  • Keep children and pets off the ice.
  • Stay on designated trails when walking near the pond. 

Obey the signs

  • Stay off stormwater ponds.
  • Stay well away from the waters edge of stormwater ponds.
  • In case of emergency call 911.

The ice is thin & unsafe

  • There may be no visible signs of unsafe ice conditions.
  • Snow can hide holes and cracks in the ice.
  • The continuous flow of water and changing water levels can weaken and crack the ice.

The Town has many community rinks available throughout the Town.
What should I do about the leaves and debris overtop the catchbasin in front of my home?

Catchbasins that are close to your property need to be kept clean of trash and leaves to prevent flooding. Residents are encouraged to monitor the catchbasins in front of their property and keep them clear of any obstructions. 

 

Never put yourself in danger. Please call Service Caledon for any assistance. 
 Can I drain my pool and hot tub into the catchbasin?
Only stormwater is meant to go down a catch basin. As the owner of a private swimming pool, hot tub or spa, it's your responsibility to safely empty the water.
  • Do not drain pool water directly into a catch basin
  • Discontinue chlorination or chemical water treatments five days prior to pumping the water out
  • Slowly pump water to your lawn or grassed area (do not pump to a neighbour’s property or cause water to pool on a neighbouring property)
What should I do about a catchbasin in my backyard yard?

Backyard yard catchbasins are located at low points along backyard property lines. They allow stormwater to drain away from homes and into nearby stormwater management ponds. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain rear yard catchbasin and ensure they are not blocked in any way that would prevent stormwater from entering it.

If you have a catch basin in your backyard:

  • Don’t pour anything down the catchbasin, only stormwater goes down catch basins
  • Don’t build on, or cover, the catchbasin