A year ago today, 220 mm of rain fell in the town of Tecumseh within a 12 hour period.
It resulted in more than 1,600 homes being flooded and led to a state of emergency being declared in Windsor and Tecumseh.
Mayor Gary McNamara says the flood is still fresh in his mind with another reminder of it last month.
He says the town has invested $3.8-million in infrastructure improvements in Wards 1 and 2 to prevent future flooding.
He says municipalities have to deal with it, whether they like it or not.
"It is going to become our new norms and these storms in particular, it is a question of when they will happen again, not if but when."
He says a backwater valve subsidy had a slow uptake when it started in 2011, but after last year's flooding, residents are taking advantage of it.
"Out of those five years, there were only 17 homeowners that took advantage of the grant after that rain event in 2011. On October 1st we were inundated with calls we have now installed close to 600."
He says latest indications prove that recent improvements are working.
"We got the same amount of rain as Windsor did and Lakeshore last month but our numbers went from 1600 homes to 160 and I firmly believe that those who have taken advantage of the program protected their homes."
McNamara says the town allocated $300,000 for the backwater valve subsidy and it is now at over $400,000. He says the program will continue in the 2018 budget.
He points out bigger pipes underground are not the answer because when it is not pouring outside, there would be a "flow" issue.
To replace all the existing pipes underground right now would cost the municipality $600-million.
He says the key is to avoid putting storm water into the sanitary system.