The City of Windsor is changing its sandbag distribution as emergency preparedness officials continue to monitor the weather and water levels of the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair.
While the city will continue to make sandbags available, residents living in a specified area along Riverside Drive East will now have to call 311 and set up a time to meet staff at the sandbag station.
The change will begin on Thursday May 23, and appointments will be made for between 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Officials say the initial surge of resident need has been met, so the change to a pre-ordering system is now the most efficient option.
The sandbag station has been open since May 8 and is located at 9410 Little River Road, just west of the Little River Bridge and the roundabout.
Sandbags are available to residents living between George Avenue and east to the Town of Tecumseh border, living on the north side of Riverside Drive.
Those residents who need sandbags can contact 311 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Residents will still need to show proof of address.
Officials say water levels on Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River remain well above traditional averages and are currently part of a flood warning from the Essex Region Conservation Authority.
Water monitoring is expected to continue in Windsor until at least September, as the risk of overland flooding for properties along the water could change quickly with either a heavy rain or high winds.
The municipalities of LaSalle, Tecumseh, Lakeshore, Amherstburg, Leamington and Essex are also making sandbags available to residents concerned about flooding.
