Some residents in Ottawa's west end tried to make light of the flooding situation in their homes while others said serious health concerns had stemmed from the overflow of sewage. (Julia Kilpatrick/CBC)

Many streets in Ottawa's west end were still lined with debris Wednesday after heavy rain over the weekend forced residents to clear out their flooded basements.

Dundegan Drive in Kanata was one of the heaviest hit in the flooding, which has residents working side by side as they clean up both their basements and their neighbourhood.

Steve Robinson, who grew up on Dundegan Drive, said he spent this week helping his parents and brother clean up the mess in their respective homes.

"All they keep saying is 100-year storm, 100-year storm," Robinson said, saying that many residents are dealing with the damage without much help from the city.

Piles of garbage and ruined building materials still sat on front lawns and driveways in Kanata Wednesday, days after the sewers backed up and flooded basements in Ottawa's west end. (Julia Kilpatrick/CBC)

He said help is needed not just in clearing out the mess, but in dealing with its effects because working around the raw sewage has already affected the health of some of the residents involved in the cleanup.

"My mom's been having dizzy spells from the smell of the house — headaches," he said.

"My sister-in-law has broken out in hives. My brother … has been having chest pains. My brother has an autistic son who is now terrified of the rain because they're afraid they're going to drown in their own house."

Sealed off basement

Dan and Sheridan Lachapelle have sealed off the entrance to their basement with a plastic sheet.

The husband and wife said they've been running fans to dry out their home as quickly as possible.

"When the cleanup people came, they noticed a lot of mould downstairs. After a day or two, we stopped going down there," said Dan Lachapelle.

The Lachapelles have been living in a hotel since the flooding because they said they're worried about their allergies.

Robinson, however, said that not all of the residents on Dundegan Drive can afford to stay anywhere other than at home.

"We don't have the money to fork out $160 a night to stay at a hotel," he said.

Ottawa's associate medical officer of health said Tuesday that the danger with such types of flooding comes from bacteria and viruses contained in the sewage.

Dr. Vera Etches said residents should avoid direct contact with sewage and should wash mouldy surfaces with bleach.

Anyone who experiences any health symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting or dizziness, she said, should see a doctor and call the city so city workers can investigate.