Stratford offers homeowners rebate for sump pump upgrades

The Town of Stratford is offering its homeowners a rebate of up to $2,000 to upgrade their sump pumps so that the outflow doesn't enter the municipal sewer system.

Pumping clean water — like water from rain or snow melt — into the sewage system goes against one of Stratford's bylaws. The rebate program, which includes a battery backup system for those who participate, is meant to encourage residents to comply with that bylaw.

"Our network isn't sized to accommodate clean water that shouldn't be running through it," said Jeannie Woodard, Stratford's director of infrastructure.

She said taking the outflow from sump pumps out of the equation "will reduce our maintenance, our operation costs and, at the end of the day, will reduce our treatment costs for what we're pumping over to the Charlottetown pollution control plant." 

Storm water run-off overloads the town's sanitary sewer mains and lift stations, which increases both the amount of energy used and the cost, the town said. 

Material from Stratford's sewer system is pumped to the Charlottetown Pollution Control Plant, where it's treated. The City of Charlottetown measures the flow from Stratford and bills the town based on how much material is transferred. 

Running excess water through these systems could ultimately mean residents pay more for those services, Woodard said. 

Limiting the storm water that runs through the sewer lines will help Stratford manage increases in cost, she said. 

Cutting off service an option

Residents who do not comply with the bylaw could be cut off from service, but Woodard said she hopes the offer of a rebate and battery backup system will be enough of an incentive for people to get the work done. 

While participation in the rebate program is voluntary, the town could take steps down the line to enforce the sump pump bylaw — whether rebates remain available or not. 

Stratford has about $142,000 to spend on the project, which means it will be able to cover about 70 projects on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding for this program came from the Provincial Climate Challenge Fund. 

Woodard said if this program is successful, there is another fund Stratford could apply to in order to receive money in the new year.