Municipal Drainage

Municipal Drains

A municipal drain is a system to move water and is created pursuant to a bylaw passed by the local municipality under the Drainage Act. The municipality is responsible for the construction of the drainage system and future maintenance and repair. Costs are shared by the property owners in the watershed of the drain.

To construct a new drain, a landowner must petition for one. The form to petition for a drain can be found below. Municipal drains are identified by municipal bylaw that adopts an engineer's report. These reports contain plans, profiles and specifications defining the location, size and depth of the drain, and how costs are shared among property owners in terms of construction and future maintenance.

Mutual Agreement Drains

Two or more owners may enter into a written agreement to construct or improve a drain on their land. The agreement should describe the land affected, the location of the drainage works, and the proportion of the work each person is expected to pay for and maintain.

When the agreement is drawn up, it may be registered against the land for the protection of owners.

The Drainage Act gives Mutual Agreement Drains formal status, and registration makes the agreement binding on future owners of the land. Agreements should be made each time a main drain leaves an owner's property and should be registered in the appropriate registry office. Enforcement of the agreement must be made through court action.

For more information, please see the Government of Ontario's webpage on on Mutual Agreement Drains.

Award Drains

Award drains were created under the Ditches and Water Courses Act and were so named because the work of construction was "awarded" to persons along the ditch. Ditches were constructed for nearly a century under this Act. There are a great many in Ontario. The act was repealed June 1, 1963.

Private Drains / Road Side Ditches

A private drainage system is constructed by a property owner to resolve their own drainage problems. These systems are usually a ditch, buried pipe or grassed waterway, and collect or concentrate surface water.

A roadside ditch runs alongside a road, and is built to drain the road bed and the water draining off of the road surface. (Note: a municipal drain built beside a road is not considered a roadside ditch).

For more information, please see the Government of Ontario’s website on Private Drainage Systems and Roadside Ditches.

I am a landowner and I have drainage issues on my property. What do I do?

If you are a landowner and have concerns with excess water on your property or need to improve drainage on agricultural land, please contact the Drainage Superintendent to arrange an on-site consultation to discuss the options available to you. Keep in mind, everyone and every piece of land has different needs. 

What are some of the most common activities concerning drainage?

The most common drainage matters fall under drain maintenance and drain construction. The Drainage Superintendent can help determine which applies to your situation after discussing the matter with you and visiting your property.

Who is responsible for maintaining the Municipal Drain?

The Municipality is responsible for maintaining the municipal drain on behalf of the community of property owners. The Drainage Superintendent will periodically arrange to enter onto your property and undertake any necessary work.

As a property owner, it is your responsibility to report any problems to the Drainage Superintendent.

As a landowner, there are some good house keeping practises you can do on your own to minimize costs for maintenance. Regularly maintain bank grasses and trees to reduce overgrowth and drain blockages. Allow for a buffer strip between crops and the drain banks to reduce erosion. Do not store materials such as brush, wood or other floatable material near the drain; in a storm they could float away and block the drain.

All municipal drains eventually connect with a lake, river or stream. Therefore, do not direct septic system waste, barnyard and manure storage run-off or other pollutants or residential waste directly to these drains.

What are my duties as a landowner assessed on a Municipal Drain?

Once a municipality passes a by-law, adopting the engineer’s report, a municipal drain becomes a part of that municipality’s infrastructure to maintain and repair. As a landowner, you have a responsibility for drains located on your properties. To review the duties of an assessed property owner on a municipal drain, please see the Government of Ontario's webpage on the Duties of the landowner under the Drainage Act. Should you notice any problems on your drain, contact the drainage superintendent immediately.

What types of activities are involved in drain maintenance or repairs?

The following works may be covered under drain maintenance or repairs:

• Brushing of banks

• Bottom cleanout

• Culvert repairs/replacement

• Bank stabilization

• Catch basin cleanout/Repairs

• Tile repairs and flushing

• Animal control

Who pays for the cost of construction and maintenance of the drain?

All lands, roads, and utilities that are within a defined watershed of a municipal drain are responsible for the costs of the maintenance of that drain. Municipal Drains are a user-pay system and each property owner’s share will differ based on the assessment schedule described in the Engineer's report for each Municipal Drain.

If you are requiring maintenance to a municipal drain, please contact the Drainage Superintendent to arrange an on-site consultation.

I did not own the property when the maintenance was completed, why am I being invoiced for the work?

The costs of maintenance are assessed to the property, not the property owner. The property continues to benefit from the maintenance of the municipal drain regardless of who the owners of the property are. The invoice is directed to the owners of the property at the time of billing out the final costs.

How do I make a payment for my drain maintenance invoice?

The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc will send property owners an invoice for their assessed cost of the drain maintenance. Land owners will have 30 days to pay the amount owning. After 30 days have passed, all amounts owing will be added to the property owner’s tax account.

Payments can be made in person at the Municipal Office at 52 Frank St., Strathroy. Customer service hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. from Monday through Friday. There is also a 24/7 secure drop box on the front door of the Municipal Office. Cheques can be mailed to:

Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc
52 Frank St.
Strathroy, Ontario
N7G2R4

How can I find out if the ditch on my property is a Municipal Drain?

If you have an open ditch or discover a drain pipe on your property that you are unsure about, please contact the Drainage Superintendent to arrange an on-site consultation. Should your property be affected by a municipal drain, arrangements can be made to send you the current by-law, engineering plans and the official drain report for your records.

Agricultural Tile Loan Program

Installing tile drainage is a very common land improvement practise amongst farmers in Ontario. Corrugated plastic tubbing, clay and concrete drain tiles are installed beneath the surface of agricultural land to drain excess water from the crop root zone. The benefits of tile drainage for crop productivity, farm efficiency and even for reducing environmental impacts have been studied and are generally well known to farmers.

For more information, please see the Government of Ontario's webpage on the Tile Loan Program.

ADIP - Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program

For more information, please see the Government of Ontario's webpage on the Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program.

For more information, please see the the ALUS Middlesex webpage.

For more information, please see the Ducks Unlimited website.