May 31 Heavy Rain Event: Frequently Asked Questions

On Tuesday, June 16, Town of Vegreville Manager of Infrastructure Services Brianne Giles presented information to Town Council regarding the significant rain event that began on Sunday, May 31, and resulted in sewer backups and groundwater flooding in some Vegreville residences.

The presentation followed questions from residents regarding the performance of the Town’s infrastructure, the response during the event, the availability of provincial emergency assistance and steps that could be taken to reduce the risk of future property damage.

While the full presentation can be viewed on below, we have compiled answers to several frequently asked questions to help residents better understand what occurred and what can be done moving forward.

Watch the Full Presentation:

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much rain fell in Vegreville, and how did it compare with a typical rain event?

Approximately 125 millimetres of rain was measured locally within a 24-hour period.

For comparison, data reviewed by Town Administration showed:

• Vegreville’s average rainfall for the entire month of May is approximately 57 millimetres.
• The previous highest 24-hour rainfall recorded during the 45 years of data reviewed was 69.85 millimetres, recorded on August 6, 1994.

This means Vegreville received more than twice its average monthly May rainfall within approximately one day.

Did the Town’s infrastructure fail?

No.

The Town’s infrastructure performed as designed. In fact, recent investments in infrastructure upgrades totalling approximately $3.8 million were critical in allowing the system to manage the extraordinary volume of water received. Without those improvements, the impact on the community could have been substantially worse.

The event has been described as a one-in-100-year rainfall event and the unprecedented volume of rain placed significant pressure on a fully functioning system.

During the event:

• The Town’s main lift station processed approximately 4.8 million gallons of wastewater, compared with roughly 500,000 gallons on an average day.

• Three primary pumps and a fourth auxiliary pump were operating.

• Vacuum trucks removed an additional 571,200 gallons.

• Combined, the Town’s infrastructure and contracted equipment handled more than five million gallons of water and wastewater—more than 10 times the volume processed on an average day.

Does the Town know how many residences were affected by sewer backups or groundwater flooding?

Not exactly.

Public Works received approximately 70 calls during the event. After duplicate reports were removed, approximately 49 residences were recorded as reporting sewer-backup or groundwater-flooding concerns.

This does not necessarily represent the total number of affected properties, as some residents may not have contacted the Town or may have discovered damage later.

How did the Town respond during the event?

The Town’s response included:

• Moving after-hours Public Works communications from the mobile on-call phone to a temporary call centre at the Public Works office to better manage the volume of incoming calls.

• Calling an additional employee into the Public Works office to help answer calls, document reported issues and identify areas requiring the most immediate attention.

• Calling available Public Works employees to work, as the event began on a Sunday, to operate and monitor Town equipment and assist with the response.

• Utilities Department staff were on-site and monitoring the main lift station throughout the event.

• Contracting several private vacuum trucks to assist in removing excess water from the sanitary sewer system.

• Liaising with the provincial government regarding access to additional emergency equipment, including pumps and overland hose systems. Note: This provincial equipment was stored in southern Alberta and, while it would have been available to the Town, fortunately, the rainfall eventually slowed and the system began catching up before the additional equipment was acquired.

Is provincial funding available to help cover costs associated with major weather events?

The Town reviewed its eligibility under Alberta’s Hazard Assistance and Resilience Program, commonly known as HARP.

HARP replaced the former Disaster Recovery Program and may provide assistance following eligible natural hazard events. However, a municipality must first incur at least $255,250 in eligible response and recovery costs before an affected area can be approved under the program.

For this event, the Town incurred:

• Approximately $45,038 in municipal labour and equipment costs.

• Approximately $28,628 in contractor expenses.

Under HARP’s calculation rules, only 65 per cent of municipal labour and equipment costs are eligible. This resulted in approximately $57,903 in eligible costs, well below the $255,250 threshold.

As a result, the Town was not eligible to establish HARP funding for this event.

It is also important to note that HARP does not cover every weather-related loss. Insurance deductibles and damage that could reasonably have been insured are generally not eligible under the program.

What can residents do to reduce the risk of flooding damage in the future?

No measure can completely eliminate the risks associated with an extreme weather event, but residents can take steps to help protect their properties.

Residents are encouraged to:

• Review their insurance coverage. Contact your insurance provider to confirm what your policy covers and ensure it remains up to date and reflects any renovations or upgrades completed to your property. Ask specifically about sewer-backup and overland flood coverage, as well as applicable limits, deductibles and exclusions.

• Inspect and maintain backwater or backflow prevention valves. These valves should be regularly inspected and maintained with most manufacturers recommending not less than an annual inspection. A qualified plumber can confirm whether a valve is installed, functioning properly and is appropriate for the home.

• Where possible during a sewer backup situation, ensure sump pumps discharge outside the home and toward storm drains, while directing the water away from your foundation and not onto a neighbouring property. This helps reduce the amount of groundwater entering the sanitary sewer system.

• Maintain sump pumps. Test sump pumps regularly and consider installing a battery backup, secondary pump or high-water alarm in case of a power outage or equipment failure.

• Direct water away from the foundation. Ensure downspouts extend away from the home, that eavestroughs remain clear, and ensure water is directed to municipal lands and not to neighbouring properties.

• Review property grading. Soil should generally slope away from the foundation to prevent water from collecting against basement walls.

• Keep window wells and exterior drains clear. Remove leaves, debris and other materials that could prevent proper drainage.

• Residents who notice a catch basin or storm drain that appears blocked or is draining unusually slowly are encouraged to contact the Town’s Public Works Department at 780-632-3439.