Harrow and Colchester recently experienced significant rainfall, resulting in a flash flood in some areas. The Town of Essex would like to reassure residents that during this event, all municipal infrastructure—including stormwater systems and pump stations—operated as intended. Town staff and contractors worked diligently throughout the storm to monitor and address the situation.

Unfortunately, during periods of unusually heavy and prolonged rainfall, localized flooding can still occur even when infrastructure is functioning properly.

The Town has been working on flood mitigation for quite some time and remains committed to long-term solutions. Most recently, a grant application was submitted through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program – Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS) for enhancements to the pumping station in Harrow. This project aims to mitigate flooding and would allow the system to accommodate greater peak flows. The grant application is currently under review.

In April 2025, a comprehensive Flooding Mitigation Report was presented to Council, which included recommendations to enhance existing subsidy programs. These efforts build on the Town’s ongoing work to strengthen climate resiliency and better protect our community from severe weather.

We also want to address misinformation shared regarding the Town’s efforts to secure grant funding to protect our infrastructure and residents. The Town of Essex has actively pursued, and continues to pursue, funding opportunities that align with its Strategic Plan, through both the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada.

The Town is committed to finding effective solutions for the immediate issues faced by our residents. We will continue working with our provincial and federal partners to ensure our community is well-positioned to access available programs that support infrastructure upgrades.

The Town extends sincere appreciation to our staff and contractors for their tireless efforts during this event, as well as to our Customer Care Centre team who worked diligently to respond to resident inquiries within 24 hours.

The Town of Essex remains committed to transparency, collaboration, and action. We are here for you, and we will continue working toward long-term solutions that mitigate flooding challenges for the benefit of our residents and businesses. For more resources on how Town of Essex residents can best reduce the impacts of local flooding, please visit www.essex.ca/flooding