Engineers find extensive damage on Zion Line

Warwick Township officials say extensive damage was done to Zion Line during the Aug. 23 flooding, but they have yet to determine how much it will cost or how long it will take to repair it.

Up to eight inches of rain were recorded in one evening in parts of Warwick Township. The infrastructure system couldn’t handle all the water, causing local roads to flood.

Highway 402 had to be closed to traffic for eight hours as water lay, in some places in Warwick, a meter deep. Many of the gravel roads were damaged.

And dozens of Watford residents had basements flood with water and sewage. That’s despite the fact the Ontario Clean Water Agency had an emergency sewage release to try to help manage the flow.

The township declared a state of emergency Aug. 24. Friday, Warwick Mayor Todd Case lifted the state of emergency saying only Zion Line between Bethesda and London Line remains closed.

Chief Administrative Officer Amanda Gubbels says engineers have examined the area and said there is damage to shoulder of the road, the road itself and the bridge in the area. A cost estimate to fix the newly-paved road and bridge is not yet available.

Gubbels says the township is hoping to complete the repairs as soon as possible, however it is anticipated the section of the road will remain closed for some time.

“After continued efforts to repair roads and make them safe, all but one section of road is reopened, and we know the steps needed to repair this section,” said Case in a news release. “While recovery from the emergency will continue, at this time Warwick Township Council feels that ending the state of emergency is appropriate given that most roads have returned to normal use.”

Warwick officials are tracking expenses and expect to help recover some of the costs of the flood from the Municipal Disaster Relief Fund. The province is also trying to determine if residents will be able to access the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program which will help some people recover some of the costs of cleaning up their homes.