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Board revisits 2005 basement backflow plan; costs and financing remain unsettled
Summary
The Sewer & Water Board discussed a long-planned basement backflow program originating from a 2005–2006 plan, focusing on who qualifies, installation costs (check valves $1,500–$2,000; outdoor sump pump about $3,200), and possible financing tied to water bills.
The Lorain Sewer & Water Board revisited a basement backflow mitigation plan first drafted in 2005–2006, focusing on eligibility, private-property installation costs and potential city financing.
Nut graf: Board members said the original plan covered check valves only for homes with documented basement flooding caused by sanitary sewer overload, not for backups caused by private-line problems; they discussed homeowner costs for required home modifications and the possibility of amortizing city-financed work on utility bills.
Board chair Pat summarized the plan’s scope: it would not “include putting in check valves for every single person in the city.” Pat said the program, as written in 2005–2006, provided check valves only for residents with documented basement flooding caused by sanitary sewer overload and would not cover backups caused by private-service line defects.
Pat and other board members laid out cost estimates obtained since the prior meeting. The board said installing a check valve in an existing home typically costs between $1,500 and $2,000, depending on depth and excavation required. Pat said installing an outdoor sump pump is roughly $3,200 in what he described as a “best scenario,” and that adding the check valve and related work could add another $1,500–$2,000. The board noted sump pumps and check valves are installed on private property and that homeowners would be responsible for property modifications such as sump pits and disconnection of footer (foundation) tile from sanitary lines.
The board discussed financing models referenced in the earlier plan: debt or a city-financed installment on the water bill, with a past suggestion of a 10-year payback on the water bill. Pat said that while the 2005–2006 plan proposed city financing for the sump-pump portion with repayment on the water bill, details such as default consequences were not known and would fall to the auditor.
Board members also discussed outreach to Housing/Planning staff about possible grant help for homeowners who qualify under income or other criteria. Pat said he contacted department staff after the prior meeting and that the staff had not yet completed any review; he added that the housing planning contact indicated willingness to look into eligibility and grant options but had not started work.
The board did not adopt any new program at the meeting. Members asked staff to follow up on updated cost estimates, to confirm qualification criteria, and to request the housing/planning department review potential grant support. No formal vote or ordinance was taken.
Ending: The board left the item open for additional engineering review, cost verification and follow-up with housing and auditing offices before bringing any program recommendation to council.
