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City council opted to lessen the financial strain on residents whose basements flood because of backed up city sewers yesterday.
No longer will people have to pay $100 to apply to the city’s plumbing assistance program, a fund for homeowners to install safety valves on pipes connecting their houses to the city’s sewer system.
Also, councillors voted to pay 100 per cent of the remedial work up to $4,000 needed to install the valves instead of the 80 per cent the program used to fund.
The idea was brought forward by Orleans Councillor Bob Monette and Innes Councillor Rainer Bloess.
About 500 houses in their wards flooded during rain storms in July and August. The $2-million program was created in 2005, and 200 homeowners have used it since then.
About $1.75 million remains in the fund, and about 500 homeowners’ requests for funds are being processed.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2006