Explanation
The Department of Public Utilities, Division of Sewerage and Drainage administers a program known as Project Dry Basement: Backwater Valve Installation and Sump Pump. The goal of this program is designed to prevent sewer backups in single and two-family homes in Columbus due to surcharging in city sewers from heavy rain or sewer blockages by protecting the home up to the top of casting of the nearest upstream manhole with a Spears or preapproved backwater valve, which allows use of plumbing fixtures above that elevation in the remainder of the home. Only homes deemed eligible by the City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities, Division of Sewerage and Drainage qualify for this project. Under this project an eligible home with an interior perimeter foundation drain connection to the lateral is also eligible, at the owner’s option for the installation of a sump pump that will redirect the foundation drainage away from the sanitary lateral to the sump pump and then discharge that drainage away from the house. A contract was awarded for this program that was estimated to last 3 years. It was estimated that 120 valves (40/per year) and 60 sump pumps (20/per year) would be installed during the 3 year term of the contract which is due to expire on December 12, 2020. With the heavy rains there has been an upsurge of 763 application requests sent out, of which 510 applications have been returned, since March of 2020 with more coming in on a regular basis.
Due to this upsurge in requests and the backlog of work needing to be done the Division of Sewerage and Drainage is now planning to allow owners of single and two-family homes in Columbus to privately contract with approved, licensed plumbers for the installation of backwater valves only, and then submit a request for reimbursement of the allowable costs, up to a maximum amount of $2,500.00. Property owners will be required to sign a release of liability in order to receive reimbursement. T...
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