Public Works
The Township of South-West Oxford Public Works Department is responsible for:
- Grass mowing of ditches;
- Bridges and culverts (including entrance culverts);
- Recycling and garbage collection;
- Shoulder grading;
- Signs and line stripping;
- Snow-plowing/snow removal;
- Asphalt maintenance;
- Gravel road maintenance (including grading and dust control);
- Sidewalk repairs;
- Gravel pit operations; and
- Street sweeping
The Township Public Works Department maintains a vast road network year-round for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. Maintenance activities include clearing snow from roadways, sidewalk and road surface repairs and maintenance, asphalt and concrete repairs, rural road resurfacing, grading of gravel roads and shoulders, on-street litter control, and guide rail replacement. There are 352.2 kilometres of roadways in the Township and all highways located within the Township of South-West Oxford under the care of either the Township, County of Oxford, or the Ministry of Transportation. Maintaining and upgrading roads so they are safe for motorists and pedestrians is a priority in any municipality. The Township of South-West Oxford follows the Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (O.Reg. 239/02).
In the winter, frost penetrates deep into the ground and freeze-thaw cycles damage the roads by creating cracks and potholes. After the spring thaw, seasonal load restrictions are put into effect on some Township roads where signs have been posted. Seasonal loads are restricted to loads of five tonnes per axle from March 1st to April 30th every year and are authorized and supported by the Public Works department, and enforcement is monitored closely.
Streetlights in the Township are managed by Erie Thames Powerlines. To report a burnt out streetlight or request a repair, call 519-485-1820 or 1-877-850-3128 or send an email.
- Hydro One Power Outages: 1-800-434-1235 or report an outage online.
- Hydro One Customer Service: 1-888-664-9376
- ERTH Power Outages: 1-877-850-3128
- ERTH Customer Service: 1-866-765-2217
- Enbridge Gas (previously Union Gas): 1-866-763-5427
- EPCOR Gas: 519-773-5321 or via email
Please dial 9-1-1 if you smell "rotten eggs" or detect an emergency gas leak.
High-speed Internet is coming to Oxford County's rural communities. This means people in more remote areas will have Internet service that is faster and more widely available, giving rural homes and businesses a more efficient and reliable way of connecting to the world through the Internet. You can check the status of the service in your area, and sign up for the service if it is available. For more information, please visit the SWIFT Rural Broadband website.
The Township has many trees in and adjacent to road allowances. Their maintenance requires a great deal of staff time and is a significant expense in the Public Work's budget. Tree conditions are constantly monitored to prioritize maintenance and/or removal. Being environmentally conscious, we appreciate the benefit of trees towards our quality of life. Please contact the Township directly about any trees that you would like Township staff to assess.
Municipal Water Services are available in the villages of Beachville (Loweville subdivision), Brownsville, Dereham Centre, Mount Elgin (including sewer), and Sweaburg. Water and sewage are handled by the Oxford County Public Works Department. They can be reached by phone at 519-539-9800.