Sep 06, 2008 - 04:30 AM

By Reka Szekely

DURHAM -- Flooded Ajax and Whitby residents had politicians on their side at a recent works committee meeting, but questions over whether they can expect relief remain.

On Aug. 11, torrential rains led to an influx of storm water overwhelming sanitary sewers, which backed up and flooded basements. For some residents, this was the third flood in eight years.

The Region now lists four areas where a large number of homes were affected: Annes Street, Walton Boulevard and Lupin Drive in Whitby and Lawrie Road in Ajax. A number of homes in Oshawa were also affected, but they were not in a single concentrated area. Overall, 150 homes have been reported as damaged, said John Presta, Durham's director of environmental services.

Durham will now look for connections between the sanitary and storm sewers upstream from the damaged homes by dropping smoke bombs into the sanitary sewers. Areas where the smoke wafts up are where the water is getting in. Residents will be notified of tests in their neighbourhoods, as will local fire departments. The smoke will not enter homes.

At the meeting, Regional Chairman Roger Anderson wanted to know why Durham was only now testing upstream of the flooded areas.

"What light went off and said, geez, maybe it's coming from up the hill," he asked. Mr. Presta said last time resources had been allocated to check the immediate area only.

Mr. Anderson, who pointed out the storm water system is the responsibility of the lower-tier municipalities, including Whitby and Ajax, wanted to know whether there was a policy in place to disconnect downspouts discharging roof water into the sanitary sewers.

"And, does the Town of Ajax or even the Region of Durham for that matter, have the authority ... to say you can't do it any longer, i.e. the downspouts and the weeping tiles?"

Mr. Presta said new and renovated homes aren't allowed to connect, however the Region does not have the authority to disconnect private downspouts.

Councillors wanted to know whether any of the actions taken after 2005 flooding, when 210 homes were damaged, had an impact. They also wanted to know whether back flow preventers, which close sewer connections during storm flows, had an impact.

"We know of cases on Annes Street where they have back flow preventers and they still got flooded," said Mr. Presta. He's not sure whether that was because they weren't properly installed or maintained or they simply didn't work.

A report on the issue is expected before Christmas break and Mr. Presta said any issues that can be corrected immediately will be corrected.

A small group of residents attending the committee meeting had mixed reviews of what occurred.

"Just a lot of bantering about. I didn't hear too many solid solutions," said Glenn Mulhall, whose Lawrie Road home had a foot and a half of sewage come up.

Janet Millar, also of Lawrie Road, said both the Region and the Town need to talk to all of the affected residents and is glad homeowners are being taken seriously.

Town of Ajax and Whitby representatives are meeting with the Region about the issue.

"We'll be looking to cooperate with the Region fully on this to come up with some solutions to hopefully prevent future flooding," said Steve Brake, manager of public works for Ajax.