In the midst of a summer flooded with violent storms, the city of Montreal and Transport Quebec are conducting a study into why l'Acadie Circle becomes waterlogged in heavy rain.
The three-month study will take a look at why the circle, which was rebuilt in 2004 at a cost of $110 million, has seen five floods in five years.
"Manholes, collectors, sewers, everything - we want a picture of the situation and so after that we will do a simulation," said Real Gregoire of Transport Quebec,
With 129 millimetres of rain this summer, Montrealers have experienced 56 per cent higher than average rain, resulting, in many cases, in flooded basements in the area.
Transport Quebec said the reason is unclear.
"If you go in this interchange, everything goes well, but we don't know why. It can be underneath, it can be anything… we don't know the problem," said Gregoire.
Expert blames aging infrastructure
Engineer Hellen Christodoulou said the study is unnecessary because the city's aging infrastructure, and in particular old storm sewers and old drain pipes, is clearly at fault.
"It doesn't really have the capacity to handle all that water that runs through there and obviously as a result what happens is we have flooding," she explained.
"You're not going to solve the problem unless you look into the actual problem – which is the storm sewer capacity – and fix that from scratch," said Christodoulou.
City to pay flood claims
Meantime, the city will be footing the bill for over 50 claims from people whose homes were flooded due to violent thunderstorms this summer.
As many as 51 people filed claims with the city – for a total of $510,000 – after a flash flood on July 9 caused damage to their basements.
Another five claimed damage to cars, totalling $10,000.
The city said it will only pay claims for owners whose backwater valve is in good working condition.
Claimants have until July 24 to file.
