volume 1 - Halifax Regional Municipality

Halifax Water Integrated Resource Plan
IRP Planning Context and Levels of Service
3.4.3 Stormwater System
Prior to 2007, stormwater was entirely the responsibility of HRM. On August 1, 2007
Halifax Water's mandate was expanded with the transfer from HRM of certain
stormwater assets. As was noted previously, management of stormwater in the greater
Halifax area is a multi-jurisdictional undertaking. Ownership, operations, and
maintenance of the stormwater management infrastructure within the public right-ofway
including Halifax Water stormwater easements is the responsibility of Halifax
Water. Stormwater runoff is managed by a combination of piped systems (some deep,
some shallow), overland flow and ditches discharging to area watercourses.
Halifax Water also owns 29 stormwater retention ponds and other stormwater control
structures. These structures range from earthfill, concrete, timber and masonry dams,
to culverts, weirs and other non-traditional structures. The main purpose of the
retention ponds is to control stormwater runoff from the surrounding area during heavy
rainfall and/or snowmelt events, maintain lake levels, and/or allow settling and
containment of pollutants in runoff from adjacent industrial sites. Halifax Water is
responsible for the operation, repair, maintenance, and cleaning of all stormwater
retention ponds located on Halifax Water-owned lands and easements.
There are over 790 km of stormwater pipe and an estimated 8 km of culverts in Halifax
Water’s stormwater system. In addition, there are approximately 37,000 manholes, and
17,000 catch basins throughout the HRM. Halifax Water is responsible for the operation,
repair, maintenance, and cleaning of all stormwater pipes (culverts and open ditches),
manholes and catch basins.
The locations of the stormwater system features are presented in Volume 1 Appendix D,
which contains the maps for Volume 1.
Stormwater System Summary
Halifax Water manages the stormwater assets presented in Table 3.8.
Table 3.8
Summary of Stormwater Infrastructure
Asset Category
Pipes
Culverts
Stormwater Structures
Number of Assets
790 km
8 km (estimated)
29 structures
Revision: 2012-10-29 Integrated Resource Plan 28
October 31 2012 Page 61 of 272