Windsor City Council has unanimously supported improvements to the basement flooding protection subsidy program.
Council will now fully fund the installation of backwater valves and sump pumps in eligible basements, covering the cost up to $2,800. That's up from 80 per cent coverage.
The city is putting $7.2 million in a fund to pay for those improvements.
Right now, the city is understandably backlogged with requests, especially following the late-august typhoon-like rainfall that flooded more than 6,200 basements across Windsor.
1,500 new applications have already been filed with the city since the flood three weeks ago – which Mayor Drew Dilkens says will only create longer wait-times.
Because of the uptake, the city is offering a streamlined option that allows homeowners to get work started after a single quote.
“Get the building permit, use a reputable plumbing contractor, someone who knows the systems in your house,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens after the meeting. “Once you have your building permit, you will definitely get your money back.”
This mitigation measure was just one action item of mayor Dilkens’ eight-point sewer plan to provide short-term solutions to help stop flooding. He says it’s the single most-effective way a homeowner can protect themselves from water coming up into their homes.
