Drainage
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.
Learn more about provincial drainage laws and rules.
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.
Contact Drainage Superintendent Daniel Leduc to obtain more information.
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.
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.
Find all of the process guidelines and application forms related to Drainage Services here:
Urban Storm Water Operations
On September 18, 2024, the Township of South-West Oxford Council held a public consultation meeting regarding Urban Storm Water System Operations and Financing Options, as provided by the engineering firm retained for this project (rw2 Engineering Ltd.). At that meeting, Council reviewed options for the sustainable operations and financing of the urban storm water systems in the communities of Beachville, Brownsville, Mount Elgin, Salford and Sweaburg. These five settlement communities within the Township have varying infrastructure and development potential. Mount Elgin has ongoing development, and the number of residential lots will increase over the next 10 years. Beachville has limited potential and there is one development proposal currently. South-West Oxford now has storm water management facilities (SWM) constructed by developers as new development occurs. These SWM facilities will have substantial maintenance costs in the future.
On May 20, 2025, Council passed by-law no. 41-2025 to provide for stormwater management utility and provision of rates. This by-law took effect on July 1, 2025.
By-law 41-2025 - To provide for stormwater management utility and provision of rates
Schedule A to By-law 41-2025 - Key Maps
Soils
To determine the type of soil on your property, please view the Soil Survey of Oxford County Map prepared jointly by the Research Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture and the Ontario Agricultural College.
Watershed Information
Below are links to additional information regarding flows/water level for: