Pipe Severance and Capping – Toronto Foots The Bill

In response to recent overloads of the city’s water infrastructure due to stormy weather, the city of Toronto is offering a subsidy to property owners who take measures to separate their plumbing from the city’s sewer systems. Through Toronto’s “Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program“, you can be reimbursed up to 80% of any costs incurred in such jobs. This subsidy covers installation of sump pumps and backwater valves, as well as pipe severance and capping. That’s right! You can protect your home from basement flooding, while simultaneously helping the city, and get paid for it.

By isolating your plumbing from the city’s systems, you will protect yourself from flooding due to infrastructure overload during periods of intense rainfall. Your property will become self-sufficient in dealing with water overflows and flooding. Having your weeping tiles and drainage system functioning in isolation gives you peace of mind when storm-waters start to flood our city’s valuable infrastructure again in the the winter.

Toronto Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Eligibility

To qualify for the subsidy, there are a few requirements that must be met. First and foremost, you must hire a Toronto plumbing contractor licensed by the City of Toronto (like Absolute Draining & Plumbing) to inspect the home, to determine the suitability of separating the property from the sewer system. Furthermore, there are some criteria that must be met regarding the property and work performed. Here at ADP, we help our clients with filing the paperwork and meeting these requirements. They include considerations such as:

• Must be an existing property (not a new construction);
• Must be a single family residential property,  (duplexes and triplexes qualify, too);
• The property must comply with all city zoning by-laws;
• Backwater valves & sump pump installation, as well as pipe severance, must be performed where possible;
• Eavestrough downspouts must be disconnected from the city sewer system where possible.

After the work is performed, the property owner must fill out an application, sign and date it, and include a invoice with a break-down of work performed. There is a six-step application process involved in applying and qualifying for the subsidy. We are familiar with this process and can help you to make sure your paperwork is proper, complete, and filed with the appropriate district for your ward, as well as scheduling any follow-up inspections with the city. Improperly compiled or filed applications can be held indefinitely, or denied after consideration by the city.

Capping and Severance in Toronto – What is Covered by a Subsidy?

The total possible reimbursement for work performed can range from $400 to $3,200, depending on the work performed. That’s a lot of money you can save on some very important work to protect your home and investment. In addition, such pro-active measures can serve to raise your property value by a multiple of your original investment, plus you are getting money back on that investment, paid for by the city. There is really no reason any home in Toronto should have to suffer from basement flooding due to a lack of backwater valves, sump pumps, or pipe severance and capping. Not when a great government subsidy like this exists.

For more information on reimbursements and requirements, visit the City of Toronto’s official page.

As a closing remark, I just want to remind people of the value of this service. You should try to get this work done now, while it is spring-time and plumbing jobs are easier to accomplish. If you’re planning to wait it out until winter and see what the future holds, you are just rolling the dice. If we encounter another severe storm system, you could end up with many thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home.

Check back with us next week for more valuable plumbing information. Whether you’re a plumber or a homeowner, we’re sharing tons of great plumbing advice and information on this blog, just for you! Next week, we’ll discuss some more of Environment Canada’s water projects, including preservation and waste management! It should be an exciting post, so stay tuned.