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, all sewer systems have the potential to overflow during periods of heavy rain. This diagram shows how that can happen.

Diagram description: 
A diagram of a basement valve detailing how it works. A floor drain connects to a building drain, which may have other drain lines connected. Usually when sewage backs up into a basement, it first shows up at an un-protected floor drain. The drain line connects to the building sewer, which connects to the combineds storm and sewer main. This connects to the catch-basin, which catches rainwater and other sewage. 
 

If after fully reading this document, you still have questions regarding the Basement Valve Program, please call the Program Administrator at 574-235-5993.

Eligibility

To be eligible for participation in this program you must meet each of the following three criteria:

• The property must be a single-family residential property.
• The property must be used as the primary residence of the property owner.
• The property must be connected to South Bend’s sewer system.

Rental properties, second homes, investment properties, vacation properties, etc. are not eligible for this Program and this is strictly enforced. This is due to budget constraints.

Additionally, property owners that have any outstanding debts owed to the City are not eligible for participation in this program.

Program Steps

1. Make sure you are eligible based on the above criteria (see Eligibility).
   
   

2. Fill out this application.
   
   

3. Await approval from the City. There may be an annual limit to the number of participants as the Program is budget dependent. 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. 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 receipt to the City’s Department of Public Works via email (kfahey@southbendin.gov). A photograph on a smart phone is adequate, or a scanned and emailed receipt is fine too. The receipt should indicate that the amount owed has been paid in full. Please keep the original receipt, we may ask for it during inspection of the work at your home.
   
   

8. The City will reimburse the property owner 50% of the cost incurred to install the basement backup 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. Please anticipate that it will be 4-5 weeks (after you email us your receipt) before receiving reimbursement. Reimbursement will be via check mailed to your home.
   
   

9. The City will inspect the work done prior to making the reimbursement, and by participating in this program the property owner commits to facilitating this inspection.
   
   

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.

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, firstserved 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