Stormwater Utility Funding Strategy

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury is conducting a study to review and recommend a sustainable and reliable funding source to support the Town’s stormwater management program.

Stormwater is the runoff from rain and melted snow that flows over properties and into storm drains. Normally, stormwater soaks into the ground and becomes groundwater through a process called infiltration. However, as it moves, it collects debris and pollutants from rooftops and paved surfaces, which are then carried into storm drains and local waterways. In an urbanized area like the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, impermeable surfaces, such as driveways, parking lots, streets, and roofs prevent stormwater from being absorbed into the ground. This disruption in the water cycle causes stormwater to flow quickly into drains and sewers, eventually reaching our lakes and rivers, which can lead to flooding and other environmental impacts.

A stormwater utility funding strategy offers a reliable and sustainable method for addressing the community’s environmental and growth-related concerns. It ensures aging infrastructure is maintained and supports the development of new systems to accommodate planned growth in a financially responsible way.

Timelines

Public Meeting and Presentation (PIC#1)

September 23, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is stormwater?

What is stormwater management?

Stormwater management is a vital system designed to protect public safety and the environment by controlling the quality and quantity of stormwater. It helps reduce risks such as flooding and erosion while maintaining a healthy environment.

What is a stormwater utility fund?

A stormwater utility fund is a sustainable, long-term approach to addressing a community’s environmental and infrastructure needs. It ensures the maintenance of aging systems and supports new developments that promote planned growth in a financially responsible manner.

Why do we need a stormwater utility fund?

As a growing community, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury is responsible for managing its stormwater systems, which include catch basins, sewers, ditches, ponds, and culverts. These assets require proper funding for maintenance, repairs, and replacements. A stormwater utility fund will support these services while addressing challenges related to climate change and aging infrastructure.

Do I have to contribute to the stormwater utility fund if my property is not connected to the municipal water or wastewater system?

Yes, the stormwater utility funding strategy applies to all property owners, excluding those in the Holland Marsh Lands. Every property in Bradford West Gwillimbury contributes stormwater runoff to the Town’s infrastructure.

Stormwater from my property does not flow into the Town’s storm drainage system, do I still need to contribute to the stormwater utility fund?

Yes, the Stormwater Management (SWM) utility funding strategy applies to all property owners. Every property in Bradford West Gwillimbury contributes runoff to the Town’s stormwater system, such as runoff to public roads, catch basins, culverts and/or ditches.

Is Bradford West Gwillimbury the only municipality that has a stormwater utility funding strategy?

No, other municipalities in Ontario such as Aurora, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Stouffville, Vaughan, Georgina, and King are just a few examples of municipalities that have a stormwater management funding strategy.

Image of houses getting rained on and water draining into storm pond

Public Information Centre

Thank you to those who attended our Public Information Centre (PIC) on September 23 to review the Town's Stormwater Utility Funding Strategy.

Your feedback is important to us, and we want to hear from you. You can review the meeting presentation here and share your comments on the PIC by taking a few moments to fill out our feedback form below.

Feedback Form

Contact Information

Town Contact:
Tony Desroches
Director of Infrastructure Services
tdesroches@townofbwg.com

Contractor:
Civica Infrastructure Inc.
Andrew Kerr
Project Manager
akerr@civi.ca

Stormwater Management

The Town of BWG has stormwater management facilities (SWMF) in place to help protect human health, property, and the environment. SWMF are very important in order to decrease the phosphorus load in Lake Simcoe. Properly working SWMF filter stormwater, decreasing the environmental impacts of everyday activities such as:

lawn watering
car washing
water runoff
precipitation
improper disposal of household hazardous wastes
road salt application

There are many types of SWMFs within the Town. Below is a short description of each of the SWMF common in the Town of BWG:

Wet Pond/Retention Pond

Wet ponds can be classified as quality and/or quantity ponds.

Quantity wet ponds are used to hold stormwater to ensure the downstream receiving waters and neighbouring areas are not flooded or washed out by a rapid increase of water. The pond slowly releases water into the downstream receiving waterway ensuring the natural environment is not impacted by flow rates.

Quality wet ponds allow the stormwater to settle out suspended solids, inorganics and organic matter before entering the downstream waterway and natural environment. The treatment of the stormwater is very important to mitigating environmental impacts to natural habitats.

Dry Pond/Detention Pond

A dry pond stays dry except during precipitation events, so most of the time it is a large, low, grassy area. This type of pond allows the water to be maintained within the area, and slowly releases stormwater into the downstream waterway. The slow release of water ensures sediments and contaminates have settled out, releasing a higher quality of stormwater into the environment. This type of pond is beneficial in situations of high peak flows to reduce the risk of impacts to human health and the environment.

Wetlands

Wetlands are shallow and generally have a larger land surface than a dry or wet pond. This type of SWMF is best suited for pollution removal due to the enhanced biological uptake and filtration through the different vegetation. Although a wetland does not have the same storage capacity of a dry pond or wet pond, and does not protect the environment from flooding after large precipitation events, a wetland can be used as a supplement to quantity ponds, providing additional quality treatment.

How Does Stormwater Travel to a SWMF?

Stormwater enters a SWMF by flowing through a stormwater sewer, catchbasin or directly into the SWMF. It is important that only stormwater enters any part of a SMWF.

Yellow Fish Road

BWG has partnered with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) to bring the Yellow Fish Road program to the Town. This program is conducted by LSRCA and provides information to the public regarding stormwater, mainly focused around school aged children. This program helps children identify what a stormwater catchbasin and manhole are and where stormwater travels from in their neighbourhood. The children paint yellow fish next to storm sewers in their neighbourhood to help raise awareness that stormwater flows directly into the environment, and that keeping other materials out of catchbasins helps protect the environment.

Yellow fish painted on the curb above a storm sewer

Yellow Fish Road Program

How Can You Help Protect the Environment?

You can help prevent the amount of chemicals and debris that get into SWMF and stormwater catchbasins after rain or ice/snowmelt.

Here are some things you can do:

Careful Use of Chemicals

Avoid the use of herbicides and pesticides near storm sewers and catchbasins, especially if precipitation is in the forecast.

Rain Garden/Stone Garden

A rain or stone garden allows precipitation and runoff to soak into the ground. This reduces total runoff and decreases the potential for flooding and erosion. The LSRCA offers helpful information on building a rain garden.

Rain Barrel

A rain barrel can be placed under the eavestrough or somewhere where precipitation will be caught in the barrel. The contents of rain barrels can then be used to water the lawn, gardens and cleaning. This decreases the amount spent on water and decreases the amount of treated drinking water used for outdoor activities.

Permeable Driveway

A permeable driveway can be constructed of permeable pavement, stone or other materials which allow precipitation to infiltrate into the ground. The use of a permeable driveway reduces runoff to the natural environment and allows precipitation to slowly percolate into the ground.

Trash Removal

To ensure SWMF are able to properly operate they must be free of trash. Garbage can harm the facility and impact the overall quality of the stormwater entering the environment. Remove trash, leaves and other material that may be blocking a catchbasin or storm sewers to allow stormwater to properly flow and decrease the chance of flooding.

Always pick up animal waste, as it is high in organic compounds that increase the amount of phosphorus within the SWMF.

Site Alteration

To ensure proper flow of stormwater to avoid property, human health and environmental impacts, all swales and stormwater features built into a property design should remain untouched and free of obstacles. Consult The Town of BWG Development Division for site alterations before completing work to ensure stormwater management will not be affected.

To help keep pollution levels down in water ways it is important to decrease the amount of impervious areas, this will decrease runoff and allow stormwater to absorb into the ground easily.