Drainage is the movement of water and occurs naturally through rivers, creeks, streams and other natural watercourses. Drainage can be enhanced through the construction of roadside ditches, channels, pipes as well as ponds or other devices to control the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff.
Report a blockage
Some of the Township drainage network uses catch basin inlets, located near the curb on the road. If you have one near your home, please contact us to report blocked or clogged inlets.
The Township maintains drainage networks sufficient for the protection of the road. Slow moving or standing water in the ditch may not be an indication of a problem. Ditch cleanout out maintenance is performed on an as needed basis.
Drainage easements
The Township of Severn has many easements such as surface drainage, watermains and sewers. An easement is a legal right to use your land for a particular purpose and may prevent you from using this land in some manner. Please contact us if you have questions about what you can and can't do on your property if you have an easement.
If you have a drainage easement on your property, we ask that you please keep the easement free of fences, sheds, play structures, etc. We also ask that you do not plant gardens, shrubs or trees within the easement as this will impact maintenance operations and we may have to remove it without notice.
Municipal drains
Municipal drains are a very specific type of ditch created under the authority of the Drainage Act. Even some creeks and small rivers are considered municipal drains if they were improved or deepened at the request of a petition. Municipal drains are primarily located in rural agricultural areas of the province.
The Township of Severn has nine municipal drains servicing more than 380 properties. To find out if your property is services by a municipal drain, please contact us.
For more information about municipal drainage, check out this resource:
Tile Loan Program
The Tile Loan Program, authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) under the Tile Drainage Act, provides loans to agricultural property owners to help you finance tile drainage projects.
Apply for a loan
To start the loan process, fill out the Drainage Loan Application and submit it by email or drop it off to the Administration Office at 1024 Hurlwood Lane in Severn.
Tile drainage loan process
Once your application is approved, you must arrange to have the work completed by a tile drainage contractor licensed under the Agricultural Tile Drainage Installation Act. After the work is complete, contact us to book an inspection.
We do not charge a fee for this service. Please submit your invoice to our Finance department when the tile drainage is complete. A sketch showing the extent of tiling must accompany the invoices. We will prepare loan documents to send to OMAFRA in the amount of the loan.
Terms of the loan
The term of the loan is 10 years and repayments are due annually with your property tax instalments. The interest rate for the loans issued under this program is currently at 6%, fixed for the 10-year term of the loan. Interest is compounded annually, and the loan can be paid off at any time without penalty.
Please note
Financial terms and conditions are subject to change and you should confirm with the Township during the application process. Visit OMAFRA for more information about the loan.