Lakeshore Mayor Says Town Playing It Safe With Water Use Warning

The wet weather proved to be a little too much for Lakeshores sewer system Wednesday night.

For nearly five hours, beginning just after 4pm the town asked residents in subdivisions along County Rd. 22 from Puce Rd. to Rourke Li. were asked not to do laundry, run dishwashers, take showers or flush toilets because the sanitary system was operating at capacity.

The system caught up around 9pm. Mayor Tom Bain says the town didn't want a repeat of last year's flooding with heavy rains sweeping through the region.

"We've had those last two years of high rainfall, we're hit with rainfall again, it's really a preventative move to make sure that we don't have that major problem again," he says.

The town recently approved a plan to expand and upgrade drainage.

"We're going ahead with that master plan. I believe the total cost is around $350,000," he says. "In the long run when you see the dollars that it cost us during the last few years with flooding that's a small pittance, especially if we can resolve some of those problems."

The Essex Regional Conservation Authority says up to 70 mm of rain has fallen in some areas over the last few days resulting in standing water and elevated water levels.

A flood watch is in effect until Thursday at noon.