Stormwater & Sewers

During heavy rain or rapid snowmelt, water may pool around your house or accumulate in driveways or patios. This may lead to standing water, difficulty of water flow or unwanted water on your property.

Drainage issues are usually caused by:

• compacted soil
• filled in or blocked side yard
• backyard drainage channels
• blocked private catch basin
• incorrect grading
• improper location and installation of landscape features like a fence or flowerbeds

Storm drains, also called catch basins, are installed next to street curbs to receive and direct storm water into the city storm sewer pipe network. Catch basins that are close to your property need to be kept clean of trash and leaves to prevent flooding.

Managing standing or excess water using landscaping, rain-scaping techniques, proper grading and maintaining your catch basin or stormwater drainage system will reduce surface water getting into your home.

Oils, paints, and other chemicals that get spilled on or around roadways can enter storm drains and catch basins which flow directly into local creeks, stormwater management ponds and ultimately the Grand River.  As spilled chemicals migrate through the environment, they degrade the health of the natural environment in many ways and potentially compromise drinking water supplies in downstream communities.

Protecting the waterways is a joint responsibility between residents, developers and contractors, businesses and industry.  We all play a role in keeping our rivers clean.  What you do on your property or in the street can impact what flows into the rivers. If you see someone dumping trash or other pollutants into storm drains, please contact us at (519) 623-1340, OR email servicecambridge@cambridge.ca

There are many ways you can help support our stormwater management system in Cambridge, such as:

• Using a rain barrel to collect water for your garden
• Avoiding over-watering your lawn or garden
• Disposing of trash, yard waste and pet waste properly
• Obeying all posted signs, including no skating and no swimming signs
• Sweeping dirt from your sidewalks and driveway and putting it in the green bin or garbage instead of on the road
• Reducing the use of salt for ice melting in the winter
• Directing your downspouts to rain garden or grass and not onto hard surfaces (driveway)
• Using less fertilizer and pesticides or stop using them entirely

• Bag your yard clippings or compost them. Excess organic material rots in waterways, leading to pollution.
• Clean up after your pets and dispose of pet waste in your green bin.

*Only non-residential properties located within the City of Cambridge, are eligible to receive stormwater fee credits.

*All stormwater fee credits must be approved by the City of Cambridge Environmental Services Division, using the application process.

The Stormwater Fee Credit Program provides an incentive to commercial owners that have infrastructure installed to manage and reduce the volume of stormwater entering the City’s stormwater system, or for improving the quality of runoff water leaving their property. This helps the City avoid having to perform expensive upgrades to the existing stormwater collection system and minimizes the environmental impacts from sediment and other contaminants in stormwater runoff. 

Credit eligibility will be calculated based on the runoff water management and quality control measures in place at the property. The credit offers up to a 50% reduction on stormwater fees.

Stormwater credit agreements are issued for terms of up to five (5) years, at which time a credit renewal application will need to be submitted.

If a property owner implements a new best management practice (BMP) they may apply for a stormwater credit update. Update applications will be limited to once per year.

Property owners must provide adequate documentation with their application to demonstrate the benefits to the stormwater system in terms of peak flows overall capacity, or water quality.  This is often done by providing design drawings, specifications and operating procedures for all installed best management practices (BMPs) as certified by a professional engineer. 

Actual credit amount is dependent on specific design and performance criteria.

Apply Online for Stormwater Credit

View the City of Cambridge Infrastructure alterations page to learn how to apply for changes.

Blockages on public property (not caused by homeowner activities) will be cleared without charge. Fees will apply if the blockage occurs on private property or is attributable to homeowner negligence. .

The City of Cambridge decides who is responsible for covering the cost of clearing a sewer blockage. Please note that the Environmental Services Division will not reimburse the homeowner, tenant or plumbing contractors for the cost of the sewer block removal without prior inspection to determine the cause.

If you are being advised that your sewer line needs to be repaired or replaced, you should: 

• Contact the City of Cambridge Environmental Services division at 519-623-1340 to review the scope of repair with City staff, as repairs may require coordination regarding the city owned portion of the pipe.
• Review the location of the property line
• Contact the City of Cambridge Building Division to determine if a plumbing permit is required
• Always confirm contractor credentials and pricing when hiring one

• Wipes or baby wipes (even flushable wipes can cause problems)
• Tampons or sanitary pads
• Condoms
• Cotton swabs
• Dental floss
• Facial tissue
• Paper towels

Fats, oils and grease are often from cooking and can be found in meats, fats, lards, cooking oil, shortening, butter, margarine, food scraps, baking goods, sauces, salad dressings and dairy products.

When warm fats, oils, and grease are washed down the sink or toilet into the plumbing system they cool, harden and stick to the inside of sewer pipes. Over time, the grease will build up and can block the entire pipe. Blocked pipes can lead to problems, such as:

• Overflow of raw sewage into your home, business, or neighbouring property
• Basement flooding
• Contact with disease-causing organisms
• Raw sewage overflow into parks, yards, streets, creeks, rivers and the lake
• An increase in operation and maintenance costs to clean and repair damaged sewer pipes

Don't dispose of medications (prescription and non-prescription such as pain relievers, cough syrups, antibiotics, veterinary drugs, etc.) by flushing them down the toilet or pouring them down the sink. Traces of these drugs are found in the environment because people don't dispose of them properly. Return any unused medication products to the pharmacy or dispose of them through household hazardous waste services.

Other household hazardous waste includes:

• Paints
• Pesticides
• Cleaning products