CHURCHBRIDGE — After days of heavy rain pushed water levels beyond what local systems could handle, Churchbridge declared a state of emergency at 9:36 a.m. Wednesday.
The surge of runoff strained lift stations and resulted in both sewer issues and groundwater entering buildings throughout the community. Invoking The Emergency Planning Act allows the town to respond faster and take whatever measures are needed to protect people and infrastructure while conditions remain unpredictable.
“Sunday night we noticed that our lifts were not keeping up,” said town administrator Tasha Hykawy. “Groundwater is now starting to collect as well, so that’s also why people are getting water in basements — it’s both groundwater and sewer — we just want the rain to stop now.”
The flooding follows what officials estimate to be between seven and nine inches of rainfall over the past few days, with some areas receiving several inches in just a matter of hours.
Highway 16 through Churchbridge has also been reduced to one lane after a failing culvert caused sections of the roadway to begin caving in. Crews from the Ministry of Highways are on site working to stabilize the area and manage traffic.
Assistant administrator Cindy Buchberger noted that the system became overwhelmed as water entered the sewer network faster than it could be managed. Crews have been working to pump water out and maintain critical infrastructure, while some roads and sections of highway have been closed due to washouts and safety concerns.
“We’ve used those emergency powers to close roads,” Buchberger said, adding that a culvert failure and rising water levels prompted concerns about traffic, particularly heavy trucks travelling through compromised areas.
Residents, businesses impacted
The effects of the flooding are being felt widely throughout Churchbridge. Among those impacted are longtime residents and local business owners Virginia and Charles Lomenda of Sagebrush Studios, who discovered significant water in their basement Wednesday morning.
“We came in this morning… I went down into the basement just to check things out and there was water,” said Virginia Lomenda.
Lomenda estimated that water levels in the basement reached close to two feet, echoing a growing number of reports from area residents dealing with flood damage.
In addition to flooding in Churchbridge, the severe weather system has reportedly caused widespread damage across the region, including intense winds and even tornado activity in nearby areas.
The Lomendas described hearing powerful winds overnight and referenced reports of destruction elsewhere.
“It was horrible,” Virginia said. “You could hear it… the wind didn’t know where to go. My mother always said when you see the trees going like that, you go hide — because something is coming.”
Charles said he went driving last night at sunset to see how the roads were but quickly changed his mind, saying, “I don’t get scared very often, but I couldn’t see past the truck.”
Emergency response and support
In response to the crisis, the Town of Churchbridge is mobilizing resources to support cleanup and recovery. Large bins are being brought into the community free of charge so residents can dispose of water-damaged materials without needing to travel to the transfer station.
Officials say the town will also be applying for disaster assistance funding.
“We’ll be applying for disaster relief,” Buchberger confirmed, noting that the extent of damage — particularly to finished basements — could be significant.
Many of those hardest hit are families who had developed basement living spaces, now facing costly repairs and the removal of flooring, drywall and furnishings.
“I can’t imagine having to rip all that out,” Buchberger said.
Town officials are urging residents to follow all emergency orders, closures and safety advisories during this period. Updates will continue to be shared through the town’s official website and social media.
