The City of St. Catharines provides resources and information for residents and homeowners to prevent and clean instances of basement flooding. Performing regular maintenance and planning ahead can save you lots of time and money in the long run!
What to do if your basement is flooded
Report basement flooding to the City by calling 905.688.5600 and contact your insurance provider as soon as possible.
Determining the cause of basement flooding is not always easy. The City needs as much information as possible from affected residents, including:
- Where is the water coming from?
- When did it start?
- How much water is there?
- What is the clarity of the water?
Flooding prevention
Our Basement Flooding Prevention Guide for Homeowners provides vital information on:
- Our St. Catharines sewer system
- Types and causes of basement flooding
- Immediate and long-term flood prevention techniques
- Insurance considerations
- What to do if your basement is flooded and clean-up
Flood action checklist
Our Seasonal Property Flood Action Checklist provides handy tips on flooding prevention measures you can take regularly and before a rainstorm.
Flood Alleviation Program
Our Flood Alleviation Program (FLAP) provides grants of up to $3,500 to help cover the costs of installing protective devices, such as a sump pump and backwater valve, to homeowners who have had or are at risk of having a sanitary drain back-up from sewer surcharging. These devices can help provide immediate basement flooding protection and decrease the volume of rainwater discharged into the sewer system.
Eligibility
If you think you your home is at risk of sanitary drain back-ups from sewer surcharging and requires a sump pump or backwater valve, please call us at 905.688.5600 or email CitizensFirst@stcatharines.ca and provide as much information as you can relating to your potential flooding situation.
Our staff will review the information to determine your eligibility for the program and contact you after review for next steps.
Inspection and work process
If your application is eligible, our staff will book an initial property inspection to determine what kind of installation work is required. You are then responsible for getting quotes for the work. After receiving the quotes, share them with our staff. The grant provided will be based on the lowest quoted amount.
Once approval is given by the City, you can proceed with the installation work. After work is complete, our plumbing inspector will perform a final inspection to ensure work has been installed correctly. After the successful inspection, we will issue the grant.
Timelines
Each Flood Alleviation Program applicant's situation is different, so timelines for the program may vary. The process may take up to several months to complete, from application to grant award.