Dozens of angry residents are demanding answers over a month after a Timberlea sewer backup flooded basements and causing thousands of dollars in damage to homes which were affected. The residents have questions that have not been answered, and they want to know what steps are being taken to help them out. On July 12 there were severe rainstorms which lasted around 4 hours, from approximately 4 am until around 8 am and this caused a backup of sewage into homes on Burns Place, Brett Drive, Brosseau Crescent, and Berard Crescent on the south side of Timberlea. The residences had flooring, drywall, and furnishing damages. In a number of cases residents are looking at clean up costs which far exceed any flood insurance policies and benefits that they had.

Berard Crescent Anne Simpson estimates around $50,000 in damages from the Timberlea sewer backup to her home, and said “I would say most people are the same as us. Alberta’s insurance companies have put limits on sewer backups, and most people have $20,000. And that’s what we have.” Many angry residents believe that the flooding was caused at least in part by the Confederation Way sewer bypass project. RMWB engineering department director Emdad Haque disputes this and blames the flooding on a once in a 25 year chance thunderstorm. Anne Simpson said “They’ve made some claims of a one-in-25 year flood, that I think no one supports or believes. I’d really like to believe that the city is doing an investigation and will come out with the truth … It just feels a little bit, in this circumstance, things are being covered up.”