Greater Sudbury Council has extended its municipal preventative plumbing subsidy in hopes of getting more residential property owners to apply.
The subsidies cover about 50 per cent of the cost of purchasing and professionally installing a mainline backwater valve and/or sump pit drainage system. The city will subsidize up to a maximum of $1,000 for a backwater valve, $1,250 for a sump pit drainage system or $2,250 for both.
The goal, the city says, is to get as many residents as possible to disconnect downspouts, weeping tiles and sump pumps from municipal sanitary sewers.
This was once an acceptable practice in older buildings, but the city’s higher population means the wastewater system serves more customers today than in the past. The city says additional water flow from rainwater can exceed the design capacity of sewer pipes and treatment systems, increasing the risk of flooded basements.
Information and application forms for the Preventative Plumbing Subsidy are available online or by dialing 705-674-4455, ext. 3600.
