The 2010 Flood Protection Program was established as a result of the June 29-30, 2010, rain storm to assist eligible property owners with the installation of protective plumbing to decrease the risk of future flooding and the resulting damage.
The Program identifies eligible homeowners, and then provides assistance to upgrade plumbing to the latest (as of January 2004) standard. This upgrade involves installing backwater prevention devices and disconnecting weeping tile from the sanitary sewer system. The City provides assistance for these upgrades for eligible homeowners up to a maximum of $3,000.
Eligible homes are determined at the sole discretion of the Infrastructure Services Department. Eligibility is determined based on sanitary sewer backup as a result of this rainstorm or the potential risk of sanitary sewer backup during future rainstorms.
Eligible homeowners may qualify for reimbursement under the Flood Protection Program, as determined by the City of Saskatoon, if they meet the following three criteria (also required for every new home built in Saskatoon since January 1, 2004):
• Protect all basement plumbing with backflow valves. It is important that all basement drains and fixtures have backflow valves. If one drain or fixture is not protected, the home is still at risk for sewer back-up. The most common entry point during a sanitary sewer back-up is a floor drain without a backflow valve.
• Redirect weeping tile flows away from the floor drain and into a sump pit where the water may be pumped outside. The installation of backflow valves on all basement plumbing requires that weeping tile flows be directed away from the floor drain and into a properly designed sump pit, where the water is pumped outside the home by a sump pump. During a sanitary sewer back-up, the floor drain backflow valve will close, preventing weeping tile which is still connected to the floor drain from draining out of the house. As a result, the weeping tile water would flood the basement with rainwater.
• Safely drain water from the sump pump away from the property and onto a lane, ditch, street or easement. When water from the weeping tile system is pumped outside the house, it has only made half of the trip. The water must still travel across the homeowner’s property to a suitable drainage area, and not create a nuisance or interfere with adjacent properties.Homeowners eligible for the 2007 Flood Protection Program will be issued a Client Number, and will receive a package containing information on the program and the forms required to apply for reimbursement of upgrade costs up to $2,500. For the convenience of eligible homeowners, this information is provided below:
If you have questions about the 2010 Flood Protection Program, please contact Infrastructure Services at 975-2454.
Flooding Assistance from Provincial Program
The Province has advised that Saskatoon has been declared an Eligible Assistance Area under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program. Residents of Saskatoon who suffered uninsurable damage from the rainstorm of June 29/30 and July 2, 2010, such as water seepage or overland water flows, may now be eligible to receive assistance from the Provincial Program. Claims must be submitted before December 30, 2010 to be eligible, and work must be complete by June 30, 2011. If basement flooded from both rain events, you only need to submit one form.
In order to apply, the Province requires that residents pick up an application package at the front desk of Cosmo Civic Centre (3130 Laurier Drive – open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., or Saturday & Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) or from the City Solicitor’s Office at City Hall, 2nd Floor (222 - 3rd Avenue North; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.), or download the package here. Return the completed form to the City Solicitor’s Office, Cosmo Civic Centre, or to the provincial address listed on the form. The application package has information on the type of claim that is permitted and how the claims will be processed. The City will forward all claims to the Province, and the Province will be in touch with claimants after they submit their claim.
Once your claim form is submitted, the Province will review it within 7-14 days to see if you qualify for a special early payment for up to $3000 to help with clean-up costs.
In situations where house cleanup is already under way, the Province asks residents to save samples of damaged articles, document the clean-up process, and take pictures to support the claim. The Province will be sending an adjuster to visit eligible claimants, usually within 30 days upon receipt of their claim.
If homeowners experienced basement flooding (seepage or sewage backup), they should contact their insurance agent.
In addition, the City will follow-up with residents who have contacted the City about sewage backup, to obtain information from them on the performance of the City’s sewer system including weeping tiles, back flow prevention devices, local sewer mains, and duration of flooding. This information helps identify where the water entered the system, as well as helps develop strategies to reduce or eliminate flooding in the future. The City asks all residents who experienced flooding to report it at 975-2476.
For more information please contact the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program at 1-866-632-4033, or (306) 787-7800 or visit their website: www.cpsp.gov.sk.ca/and click on the link to the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program.