Flooded Amherstburg residents angered at inaction

The Town of Amherstburg will not yet investigate what caused 518 basements to flood during a heavy downpour last month.

Council voted Monday night to defer the decision to spend $170,000 to have experts conduct the study.

Amherstburg resident Merril Power is unhappy with how the town is handling the aftermath of the heavy rain that fell the night of Aug. 9.

"I never got no satisfaction. We've been having problems for years and I'm just frustrated the way council is handling everything," Power said. "Our insurance is not going to cover us anymore and I don't know what to do next. I'll end up at the mayor's house the next time it floods."

'I'll end up at the mayor's house the next time it floods.' Merril Power, Amherstburg resident

Fellow resident Len Hargreaves wants an extensive investigation into the sewers.

"I'd certainly like them to check out the sewers around here, with cameras or whatever they use, just to inspect it to make sure that there's nothing blocking the sewer," Hargreaves said. "But then personally, I would like this pond at the end of the street to be investigated."

Bryan Giles and his family have lived in their house for 17 years and endured basement flooding twice in three years. He installed a $4,000 drainage system and worries every time rain is in the forecast because he can no longer receive flood insurance.

"We go to bed with one ear open, one eye open and try and get some sleep. We can't afford any more losses with the floods," said Giles, whoalleges the town's pumps failed.

"But the town won't say the pumps failed," Giles said.