Events & News

A summer of heavy rainfall in the Laurentians

28 September 2022

This past summer has been a challenging one in the Laurentian region. Heavy rains, discharging more water than suggested by seasonal norms, put a strain on municipal stormwater management systems.

According to Éric Chatigny, the amateur meteorologist behind Météo Laurentides, 163 mm (+45 mm compared to normal) of rain fell in June and 176.1 mm (+63.1 mm) in August in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. Only July was drier than usual. 

These heavy rains overload the municipal sewers. This abundant water, brought by strong runoff, does not really have time to infiltrate the soil, which means that it carries contaminants that would normally have been filtered. 

Adaptation is therefore necessary. For example, the city of Saint-Sauveur had to build a retention basin to avoid overflows and other inconveniences created by the strong runoff of rainwater. 

More details in the regional media Access » [in French]