Windsor homeowner quits after years of floods and sewage overflows
After five years of repeated flooding and sewage backups on Stannus Street, Windsor resident Amanda Dunfield has moved out and bought a new home elsewhere.
For five years, Amanda Dunfield endured chronic flooding and sewage overflows on Windsor's Stannus Street, where the combined sewer-storm system could not handle heavy rains, spilling brown water onto homes and streets. The repeated incidents destroyed appliances, vehicles and even personal items, prompting Dunfield to spend well beyond six figures on mitigation without achieving lasting protection. In August 2025, engineering firm CBCL Limited recommended a full separation of the combined pipes, a project estimated at more than $142 million, alongside interim diversion measures to route water toward Tregothic Marsh near Highway 101.
Mayor Abraham Zebian said the municipality will proceed with phased pipe separation and a diversion design currently in detailed planning, with a tender for an O’Brien Street diversion expected in November. Provincial Department of Municipal Affairs has already contributed almost $1.8 million to flood-risk studies, while federal MP Kody Blois indicated potential support is forthcoming. Feeling abandoned by the slow response, Dunfield has moved to a new region, taking on a large mortgage at retirement age to secure a stable home for her child.
Why it matters
The story highlights how aging infrastructure can force residents to abandon homes, underscoring the need for costly upgrades and coordinated government action.
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