Skip to Content

Township of South-West Oxford Logo Township of South-West Oxford Logo Print

Contact Us Main menu icon
  • Accessibility
  • Careers
  • Report An Issue
  • Contact Us
  • A-Z Services
FacebookTwitter
  • Living Here
    • Animal Care and Control
    • Building and Renovating
    • By-laws and Policies
    • Drainage
    • Fire Services
    • Garbage and Recycling
    • My Property
    • Property Assessment Changes
    • Property Taxes
    • Protection
    • Water and Wastewater Services
  • Parks, Recreation and Culture
    • Beachville Museum
    • Community Calendar
    • Community Halls
    • Libraries
    • Parks and Playgrounds
  • Business and Development
    • Bids and Tenders
    • Building and Renovating
    • Business Development
    • Planning and Development
  • Township Services
    • Accessibility
    • Administration
    • Applications, Licences and Permits
    • Bids and Tenders
    • Budget and Finance
    • By-laws and Policies
    • Careers
    • Cemeteries
    • Contact Us
    • Council
    • Elections
    • Feedback
    • Freedom of Information
    • News and Updates
    • Plans, Reports and Studies
    • Public Works
    • Report an Issue
Township of South-West Oxford Home

Hay field

 
HomeLiving HereDrainage
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Drainage

More

Municipal Drains

A municipal drain is a drainage system that channels water off of agricultural land or removes excess water that collects on properties. Municipal drains have been a fixture of rural Ontario's infrastructure since the 1800s. Most municipal drains were constructed to improve the drainage of agricultural land by serving as the discharge point for private agricultural tile drainage systems. However, they also remove excess water collected by roadside ditches, residential lots, churches, schools, industrial lands, commercial lands, and any other properties in rural areas. They are a vital component of the local infrastructure. Without them, many areas of the province would be subjected to regular flooding, reduced production from agricultural land, and increased public health risks.

Most municipal drains are either open ditches or closed tile systems in the ground. Structures that are considered part of municipal drains are grassed waterways, storm water retention ponds, culverts, and bridges. Certain creeks and small rivers are also considered to be municipal drains. Municipal drains are created under the authority of the Drainage Act.

 Capital Drainage Projects

Construct a New Drain

Landowners requesting a new drain may fill out and submit a Petition for Drainage Works by Owner (Drainage Act 1990, Section 4) to the Township of South-West Oxford. This will set in motion a project to create a new municipal drain.

 

All additional steps can be found under Section 4 of the Drainage Act.

Request Improvements

Landowners requesting improvements or modification on an existing drain may fill out and submit a Request for Drainage Works (Drainage Act 1990, Section 78) to the Township of South-West Oxford.

All additional steps can be found under Section 78 of the Drainage Act.

 Maintenance on Municipal Drains

Maintenance on municipal drains is the most common procedure that occurs. This work includes clearing of the drain; such as removal of beavers/dams, removal of trees, repairing/replacing tile, silting, and cleaning out tiles.

All parties affected by a Municipal Drain are encouraged to periodically inspect the drain and report any visible or suspected problems to the Township. Repeated inspection and maintenance of a drain should allow the drain to provide service for many years.

Municipal Drains are maintained by the Township at the expense of all the lands and roads, as specified in the Schedule of Assessment for Maintenance from the corresponding Drain Report.

Each owner must provide an access route to the drain for access by the Township to undertake necessary repair or maintenance. As well, a right-of-way along the drain route equal to the working area described in the report is also to be available for future maintenance.

 Report a Problem
If you suspect a problem with a drain, contact Drainage Superintendent Daniel Leduc. Landowners requesting maintenance on an existing drain may fill out and submit a Request for Municipal Drain Maintenance (Municipal Drain Work Order) to the Township.
 Drainage Services Forms

Find all of the process guidelines and application forms related to Drainage Services here:

  • Request for Drainage Improvement and/or Modification (Drainage Act 1990, Section 78)
  • Petition for Drainage Works by Owner (Drainage Act 1990, Section 4)
  • Request for Municipal Drain Maintenance (Municipal Drain Work Order)
  • Drainage
View Living Here Menu
Toggle Living Here menu
  • Animal Care and Control
  • Building and Renovating
  • By-laws and Policies
  • Fire Services
    Toggle Fire Services menu
    • Public Safety
    • Carbon Monoxide
    • Seasonal Fire Safety
    • Home Escape Plan
    • Fire Extinguisher Safety
    • Smoke Alarms
    • Resources for Seniors
    • Workplace Safety
    • Farm Safety
    • Fireworks Safety
  • Garbage and Recycling
  • My Property
  • Property Assessment Changes
  • Property Taxes
  • Protection
  • Water and Wastewater Services

Contact

Subscribe to page
Township of South-West Oxford footer logo

© 2021 Township of South-West Oxford

Designed by eSolutionsGroup

FacebookTwitter
  • About

    • Living Here
    • Parks, Recreation and Culture
    • Business and Development
    • Township Services
  • Resources

    • Accessibility
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Freedom of Information
    • Sitemap
    • Website Feedback
    • Contact Us
  • Address

    Township of South-West Oxford
    312915 Derehham Line
    Mt. Elgin ON N0J 1N0

    Phone: 519-877-2702 /
    519-485-0477
    Fax: 519-485-2932

  • Hours of Operation

    Monday to Friday
    8:00 am to 5:00 pm

I want to...

  • Apply and Register textApply and Register

    • Building Permit
    • Burn Permit
    • Job Posting
    • Special Occasion Permit
    • Tender Posting
  • Pay and Buy textPay and Buy

    • Community Hall Rental
    • Property Taxes
  • Find and View textFind and View

    • Agendas and Minutes
    • By-laws and Policies
    • Election Information
    • Garbage and Recycling Schedule

Browser Compatibility Notification

It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.