HomeMy WebLinkAboutBasement Backflow Device Co-Pay ProgramBOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
AGENDA ITEM REVIEW REQUEST FORM
Date 08/17/2016
Name Kieran Fahey Department
Engineering
BPW Date 08/24/2016 Phone Extension 5993
Required Prior to Submittal to Board
Legal ❑ Attorney Name Michael Schmidt
Controller ❑ Controller review is required for all Contracts $5,000.00 or more and
greater than one year in length per the City Purchasing Policy
Purchasing ❑
Check the Appropriate Item Type
— Required for All Submissions
❑ Agreement
❑ Contract
❑ Proposal ❑ Addendum
❑ Professional Services
❑ Resolution
❑ Bid Opening
❑ Bid Award
❑ Req. to Advertise ❑ Title Sheet
❑ Quote Opening
❑ Quote Award
❑ Change Order No.
❑ C/O & PCA No.
❑ PCA
❑ Ease/Encroach.
❑ Traffic Control
® Other: Board approval for
a basement back -flow device
co -pay scheme. See
pany or Vendor Name: N/A
New Vendor ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑
MBE/WBE Contractor ❑ MBE ❑ WBE
MBE/WBE Contractor Requested ❑ No ❑ Yes
Project Name
Project Number
Funding Source
Account No.
Amount
Terms of Contract
Purpose/Description
Amount of
If Yes, Approved by Purchasing
Name of Company
Wastewater
To have the Board aoorove a basement valve program for city
residents.
❑ Required Contractor's Certification Form Attached (Non -
Collusion, Non -Discrimination, Non -Debarment, E-Verify, Iran, etc.)
Increase
Decrease
Previous Amount
Current Percent of Change:
New Amount
Total Percent of Change:
After Approval
Copy
Original
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Long -Term Control Plan
1. Jlayor Pete Buttigie
Copy
Eric Horvath, Director of Public Works
From
Kieran Fahey
Subject
Basement Back-up Program
Date
August 17, 2016
When sewer systems get overloaded during heavy rains they can overflow into our rivers
and also back-up into basements. There were 207 sewage basement back-up events in
South Bend in 2015. In -home devices exist that can prevent a back -flow from the sewer
system entering basements. Essentially they only allow flow in one direction, as per this
diagram:
"PROVED
hoard of Public Works
Simple Backwater valve
access cover
Swing Check
(Sometimes known
as a "flapper")
access cover
Swing Check
(Sometimes known
Outlet as a "flapper")
Inlet side
"Flapper" shown
in closed position.
Inlet side
"Flapper" shown
in open position.
Based on feedback solicited via the NACWA (National Association of Clean Water
Agencies) community regarding the usefulness of such devices I believe that South Bend
should consider a Basement Valve Co -pay Program. The City would pay a percentage of
the cost, up to a predefined limit, for residents to have a basement valve installed.
Advantages:
Health and safety: Exposure of residents to harmful pathogens will be reduced;
South Bend
Residential Basement Valve Program
The City of South Bend is dedicated to addressing sewer back-up problems through its aggressive sewer
maintenance and rehabilitation program. However sewer systems have the potential to overflow during
periods of heavy rain. This diagram shows how that can happen.
Curb
All that is requned for sewage
Sheet
to backup into a basement is
a blockage in the sewer line.
Note: Tree
This blockage may be in the
Catch Basin lawn,
main, t may 6e in the Building
Basement
Sidewalk,
Sewer, it may be in the
Walls
and Yard
Building Drain. Back flow of
if any have
sewage can also happen in
been omitted,
Combined Sewers during rain
storms. M that case the
excess water will find a
way out, even through a
Note: All
floor drain.
dimenions are
representational
and are not to
scale.
Basement Floor Floor Drain
Combined
Building Sewer
Building Drain (May have other drain
Storm and
lines connected.) Usually when sewage backs
Sanitary
up into a basement, it first shows up at an
Sewer Main
unprotected floor drain.
This Basement Valve Program has been developed as part of South Bend's ongoing efforts to reduce the
risk of basement sewage back-ups. It is a partial cost reimbursement program for the installation of
backflow prevention devices such as valves or other mechanisms installed by a licensed plumber and co -
paid for by the City and the property owner as set out below.
Eligibility
To be eligible for participation in this program you must meet each of the following criteria:
• The property must be located within the city limits of South Bend, Indiana.
• The property must be a single-family residential property.
• The property must be used as the residence of the property owner.
• The property must be connected to South Bend's sewer system.
Additionally, property owners that have any outstanding debts owed to the City are not eligible for
participation in this program.
Program Steps
This is how the Basement Valve Program works:
1. Make sure you are eligible based on the above criteria.
2. Fill out the application form (page 4) and return it to: Department of Public Works, Basement
Valve Program, County -City Building, 227 West Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 1316 N, South Bend
Indiana, 46601.
3. Await approval from the City. There may be an annual limit to the number of participants.
Approval, once granted, is valid for three months.
4. Once approved to participate in the program the property owner contacts a plumber of their
choice. While the city does not recommend any particular plumbing business be sure to ask your
plumber if they are licensed with the City of South Bend. If you are unsure, call the City's Building
Department via the 311 service. You must use a licensed plumber.
5. It is the property owner's responsibility to organize for the work to be done.
6. The property owner pays for the service of the plumber and materials in full and obtains a receipt
for the work. The receipt must clearly state that the work done was for the purpose of mitigating
or preventing basement sewer back-ups and involved the installation of a basement backwater
sewer valve, or other mechanism to achieve the same purpose.
7. The property owner submits the original receipt to the Department of Public Works.
8. The City will reimburse the property owner 50%of the cost incurred to install the basement back-
up prevention measure up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,500. In cases where a
reimbursement of the maximum amount ($1,500) is less than 50% of the total cost incurred, the
property owner is responsible for the amount in excess. The reimbursement is set at a maximum
of $1,500 per property regardless of the number of basement valve devices installed.
9. The City may inspect the work done prior to making the reimbursement, and by participating in
this program the property owner commits to facilitating this inspection if it is required.
10. Property owners are reminded that for effective operation such devices will require regular
(approximately yearly) maintenance. This may be as simple as checking that the valve swings
without obstruction and is free of debris. The property owner is responsible for all maintenance.
Terms and Conditions
By participating in this program the property owner accepts and/or retains ownership, operation,
maintenance and replacement responsibility for the backflow device installed and understands that these
devices do not guarantee against storm and or sewer back-ups but are installed as an additional
precaution.
City participation in the cost of installation does not guarantee or in any manner warrant any backflow
device, nor does the City give any warranty that the device will prevent future flooding.
The City does not assume any responsibility for damages incurred as a result of flooding subsequent to
installation of any backflow device. The property owner may look to obtain a warranty or guarantee from
the manufacturer of the backflow device or the installation plumber.
This program is contingent on the City's financial resources and will be available on a first -come, first -
served basis. It is not retroactive to property owners who may already have installed such devices.
The City of South Bend is not a party to any contract between the property owner and the plumbing
contractor.
Property owners that have outstanding debts owed to the City are not eligible for participation in this
program.
Application for participation in South Bend's sewer back-up
prevention program for the installation of Basement Valves.
g1VE,0
U
Submit this completed application form to: Department of Public Works, Basement Valve Program,
County -City Building, 227 West Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 1316, South Bend Indiana, 46601.
I/We hereby request participation in South Bend's sewer back-up prevention program for the installation
of a basement valve.
I/We own and reside at this property and the application is for work to be completed at this property:
Address:
Parcel Number
(Obtainable from your property tax bill)
I/We have read the eligibility criteria and declare to meet that criteria.
I/We agree to allow a City Inspector make any inspection and or tests on the work completed.
By participating in this program the property owner accepts and/or retains ownership, operation,
maintenance and replacement responsibility forthe backflow device installed and understands that these
devices do not guarantee against storm and or sewer back-ups but are installed as an additional
precaution.
Dated this day of 20
OWNER(S)
Print name
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Signature
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