by WGO Staff
Eco-partners CBRM Wastewater Operations and ACAP Cape Breton announce the release of Homeowner’s Guide to Flood Prevention and Recovery. For the last three years the eco-partners have been creating resources to support community resilience in the era of climate change. Sharing stormwater management information is essential to help protect homes, municipal infrastructure and the environment, and to empower the community to create positive changes at home. This user-friendly guide will give residents valuable information on how they can redirect stormwater in order to reduce flooding on their property and in their basements, and to use stormwater as a resource.
In natural landscapes, water infiltrates into the earth, or runs into lakes and streams. In urban areas where there are many rooftops and paved areas, water is unable to soak into the ground leaving it to pool, overwhelm the sanitary sewer system or worse, cause flooding because it has nowhere to go. The Homeowner’s Guide details the journey that stormwater makes in an urban landscape and provides how-to information making the best of it.
“Redirecting stormwater is important when protecting your home from flood risk”, says Jen Cooper, Project Manager at ACAP Cape Breton. “Giving the water a place to go is at the root of protecting your home and your community. There are many options such as storing it in a rain barrel, or directing runoff toward a rain garden or bioswale to effectively soak water in.”
Information in the booklet ranges from hands on instructions for redirecting stormwater, to how to prepare for emergencies, and protect your family before, during, and after a flood event. “All of the information in the booklet is CBRM specific. We designed it to be the number one go-to resource for residents to turn to for flood prevention and recovery tips and information”, says Nicola Anderson, CBRM Water Quality Analyst.
If you are interested in accessing the Homeowner’s Guide to Flood Prevention and Recovery, contact ACAP Cape Breton (902) 567-1628 for your print copy, or download the PDF at acapcb.ns.ca/stormwater.
