Surface Drainage Problems FAQ
Building a city drainage system that guarantees protection against flooding is impossible. Many homes and commercial areas were built prior to the development in 1993 of city-wide surface drainage plans and procedures. Homeowners need to look at their own lot grading, and take the necessary steps to prevent flooding and property damage. They should also try to avoid any disputes with neighbours over lot grading and surface drainage problems.
- I have a problem with my neighbour's downspout and/or sump pump discharging on my property causing flooding on my yard and/or my basement.
- My neighbour had his downspout (roof drain) connected to a service inside the house, but now it is disconnected and it drains on to my property.
- I live in an older neighbourhood and my neighbour has built a new house. It is higher in elevation compared to mine, and other neighbours.
- My neighbour re-graded his lot higher than mine and now my basement will get flooded.
- My neighbour built a sidewalk that is at a higher elevation and the water runs into my yard.
- I am calling to check the status of a property and I want to know if Rough or Final Grade Approval was issued.
- I have a commercial business and during heavy rainstorms my parking lot floods around the catch basin.
- I own a building in an older industrial area and my neighbour built a new business site that is higher in elevation compared to mine, and other neighbours.
- I live in a condominium project and several units including my own have been flooded.
- I heard about the Flood Prevention Program. How can I participate?
- 1. I have a problem with my neighbour's downspout and/or sump pump discharging on my property causing flooding on my yard and/or my basement.
Examine your own grading and be prepared to make changes to ensure that your foundation grading will direct surface drainage away from your house. Evaluate the existing drainage pattern and discharge locations with your neighbour to determine the best point of discharge for downspouts or sump discharge hoses. Discharge points must not be less than 15 centimetres from the property line. All property owners are responsible to grade their lot in a manner that promotes surface drainage away from buildings and towards the public right of way.
- 2. My neighbour had his downspout (roof drain) connected to a service inside the house, but now it is disconnected and it drains on to my property.
Many homes in older areas had their downspouts connected to the storm sewer system inside the house. Some basement flooding occurred during heavy rainstorms when the storm sewer system was flowing at peak capacity, causing the system to back up. Disconnecting the downspouts from the storm system allows the roof drainage to flow onto the ground before reaching the catch basin in the street. The City can support these disconnections, provided the resultant surface drainage does not impact adjacent private property or environmentally sensitive locations. In many cases, the existing surface grading will require improvement to ensure compliance with the Surface Drainage Bylaw.
Examine your own grading and be prepared to make changes to ensure that your foundation grading will direct surface drainage away from your house. Evaluate the existing drainage pattern and discharge locations with your neighbour to determine the best point of discharge for the downspouts. Discharge points must not be less than 15 centimetres from the property line. All property owners are responsible to grade their lot in a manner that promotes drainage away from buildings and towards the public right of way.
- 3. I live in an older neighbourhood and my neighbour has built a new house. It is higher in elevation compared to mine, and other neighbours.
There is no surface drainage design for properties developed prior to 1989. However, the Alberta Building Code and the Surface Drainage Bylaw provide requirements for all homes to have a 10% slope away from the foundation walls. In the case of in-fill housing, the owner must submit certificates and obtain grade approval to ensure conformance to the provisions of the Surface Drainage Bylaw and the lot grading guidelines.
To avoid surface drainage problems, you should:
- review and repair your foundation grading to re-establish the slope away from your home.
- ensure that you have downspout extensions or splash pads to convey surface water at least 2 metres away from the house.
- consult with the owners of the new home to create a drainage plan that can work for both properties.
For an evaluation of your grading, contact Drainage Services at 780-944-7777 for an opportunity to participate in the Flood Prevention Home Check-up Program.
- 4. My neighbour re-graded his lot higher than mine and now my basement will get flooded.
If your neighbour has re-established his foundation grading to provide the required slope of 10% away from his house without changing the existing grade at the property line, then you should examine your own lot grading and be prepared to make changes to ensure that your foundation grading will also direct surface drainage away from your house. If you have poor or negative grade, surface water will flow towards your foundation wall and increase your risk of basement flooding. Evaluate the existing drainage patterns. Consult with your neighbour over common drainage issues.
If the re-grading has resulted in directing surface drainage from the neighbour’s roof or foundation directly on to your property, there may be a bylaw violation. Call 780-496-5576 or email lot.grading@edmonton.ca to contact a drainage representative.
- 5. My neighbour built a sidewalk that is at a higher elevation and the water runs into my yard.
Effective side-lot drainage requires the co-operation of both property owners. Check your own foundation grading and lot drainage. All property owners are responsible to grade their lot in a manner that promotes drainage away from buildings and towards the public right of way. Surface grading changes that promote the flow of surface drainage from the roof or the foundation directly onto adjacent private property may be a bylaw violation. Consult with your neighbour over common drainage issues.
Call 780-496-5576 or email lot.grading@edmonton.ca to contact a drainage representative.
- 6. I am calling to check the status of a property and I want to know if Rough or Final Grade Approval was issued.
If you are a lawyer or a realtor working on behalf of a vendor or purchaser, we can provide that information under the Freedom of Information Policy (FOIP). Provide a written request, including property address and legal description, to Drainage Services and we will generally respond within two working days.
Address:
City of Edmonton
Infrastructure Services
Drainage Services
Lot Grading
Main Floor, Century Place
9803 – 102A Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
T5J 3A3Email: lot.grading@edmonton.ca
Phone: 780-496-5576
Fax: 780-496-2865- 7. I have a commercial business and during heavy rainstorms my parking lot floods around the catch basin.
All new commercial and multi-family properties have on-site stormwater management. The parking lot is designed to store rain water on the surface, which will slowly drain into the storm system through a reducer in the catch basin. This is intended to prevent surcharging the storm sewers. All commercial and multi-family properties must contain surface drainage within the property (on-site).
- 8. I own a building in an older industrial area and my neighbour built a new business site that is higher in elevation compared to mine, and other neighbours.
All new commercial and multi-family properties are required to have on-site stormwater management. A lot grading plan must be provided, indicating the proposed on-site drainage. The builder of the new development must ontrol their site grading, and stormwater management. Retaining walls may be needed to achieve this.
You should look at your own site grading. Adjustments to the site grading may be required to provide a better level of protection from rainfall and snow melt.
- 9. I live in a condominium project and several units including my own have been flooded.
Maintaining the site grading is the responsibility of the Condominium Association. If the project was built after 1993, there should be an approved lot grading plan for the project. This plan can serve as the basis for solving surface drainage issues. Problems in projects constructed before 1993 must be solved using common sense, good grading principles, and the provisions of the Surface Drainage Bylaw with the Lot Grading Guidelines.
- 10. I heard about the Flood Prevention Program. How can I participate?
Maintaining good drainage on your residential property is an important part of the flood prevention equation. A flooded yard or basement can cause serious damage to your property, and cost you, the homeowner, time, money and inconvenience. Our home flood prevention check-up service brings a drainage specialist to your home, for a free one-on-one interior and exterior drainage assessment. The service is available to any residential homeowner in Edmonton. However, preference for booking an appointment is given to homeowners that have a history of flooding.
Call 780-944-7777 to schedule your complimentary appointment. All bookings are based on a first come, first served basis. Check our Flood Prevention Home Check-up webpage for more information.
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