If Your Sewer Backs up or Your Basement Floods…

What causes basement flooding?

1. Problems in the sewer main
   The sewer main, generally located under the street, may collapse or get blocked by waste and debris. Sometimes pumping stations break down or construction activities in the area may cause problems.
2. Problems in the lateral from the building
   If the pipe between your building and the street sewer gets blocked with debris, wastewater from your house may back up into the basement. The blockage can be due to:
• accumulated grease, paper, kitchen waste, or other foreign objects;
• a collapsed pipe; or
• tree roots.
3. Spring runoff
   Melting snow and ice can leak through cracks or joints in your basement walls and/or floor.
4. Overloaded sewers
   During heavy rainstorms or spring runoff, the sewer system may not always be able to handle all the extra water. Water and/or sewage may back up into the basement through floor drains, unsecured clean out caps or other plumbing fixtures in the basement.
5. River flooding
   River flooding occurs in some areas of the City. However, each spring the City clears ice from the Rideau River to prevent serious flooding.

First Steps

If you have a back-up of water and/or sewage in your basement, please…

1. Check the toilets, sinks and waste pipes and clear any blockages to ensure that the water is not due to an internal plumbing problem. (Roof vent blockage can cause gurgling).
2. If that does not solve the problem, call 3-1-1 and City staff will come out to determine the cause of the problem.
3. Don't use toilets and sinks unless it is absolutely necessary. (Any water sent down the drain will likely end up in your basement.)
4. Be patient! City staff will respond as soon as possible.
5. Make sure someone will be home to let City staff in the home.
6. Locate the building sewer clean-out caps for your building. They are usually in the basement floor near the front wall, close to the water meter. Make sure that the clean-out caps are not blocked by furniture or other things and that they are accessible to City staff. Do not attempt to open the clean-out.

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Assess Risk

Bacteria / viruses

Water contaminated with sewage may contain a number of bacteria and viruses, which can affect health. The major health concern is related to organisms that affect the gastrointestinal tract causing vomiting and diarrhea (gastroenteritis), and those that affect the liver (Hepatitis A, yellow jaundice). You can contract these illnesses by consuming contaminated food or water, or by putting contaminated hands or articles into your mouth. These bacteria and viruses are not transmitted through the air. Skin irritation or infection can also occur from contact with contaminated water, particularly if open cuts or sores are present.

• Immediately add small amounts of chlorine bleach to standing water.
• Remove standing water with pumps or pails, then with a wet/dry shop vacuum.

Gas

Whenever floodwater is threatening gas-fired equipment(furnace, hot water heater, stove, etc.) immediately call Enbridge 24-hour service line (1-888-447-4911). A technician will be dispatched to turn off the gas service to any affected buildings.

Hydro

It is NOT safe to enter your basement if the water level has reached any plug, electrical outlet, extension cord or baseboard heater.

If the water has not yet reached any plug, electrical outlet or baseboard heater and your distribution panel and main switch are still above water, you may be able to shut off the power yourself. Wear rubber boots when walking on a wet surface. If you plan to shut off the electricity at the main switch, first make sure the surface you are standing on is dry and that you are not touching metal (pipes, ladder, etc.). Since dry wood is not a good electrical conductor, stand on a wooden stool or chair, and then shut off the main switch using a dry wooden stick such as a broom handle.

If this is not possible, or if the water has reached the panel or main switch, do not touch anything. Instead, call an electrical contractor licensed to work in the city of Ottawa. Ottawa Hydro (613-738-6400) can shut off the power at an outside meter, hydro pole or transformer.

Before turning the power back on after the water subsides, call an electrical contractor to check your installation and confirm that there is no risk of electrocution or fire if the power is restored.

If the main switch was flooded or if the service was cut off at the meter or the pole, Ottawa Hydro will reconnect the power after its inspection service has had a chance to inspect and approve the service. Call Ottawa Hydro at 613-738-6400.

Documentation

Record the details of damage with photos or video, if possible. Contact your insurance agent.

Clean-up

Do not mix ammonia and hypochlorite (Javex®)

What to keep or discard

Subject to confirmation with your insurance company's adjuster's evaluation, the following may have to be discarded if they have been in contact with wastewater:

• All insulation materials, and all less expensive articles that have been soaked, including particleboard furniture, mattresses, box springs, stuffed toys and pillows.
• Furniture coverings, padding and cushions. The frames of good quality wood furniture can sometimes be salvaged, but must be cleaned, disinfected, rinsed and dried by ventilation away from direct sunlight or heat.
• Scrape heavy dirt from washable clothes, rinse and wash several times in cold water treated with chlorine bleach, and dry quickly.
• Separate valuable papers. You may wish to ask a lawyer whether to save the papers themselves or just the information on them.

Recommended procedures during clean up

• Wear protective clothing: overalls, gloves, protective eyeglasses, rubber boots and a facemask.
• Stay clear of electrical equipment and do not attempt to change any fuses if you are standing in water or on damp ground.
• If you can, shut off the electrical power.
• Open windows to allow fresh air in.
• Ventilate and ensure that there is adequate crossventilation to remove any fumes. Dehumidify the house until it is completely dry.
• Immediately add small amounts of chlorine bleach to standing water.
• Remove standing water with pumps or pails, then with a wet/dry shop vacuum.
• Wash and wipe down all surfaces and structures with chlorine bleach, ensuring that there is adequate cross ventilation to remove fumes. Then rinse again.
• Disinfect the walls and the floor using a chlorine bleach and water solution. Wait for the area to dry completely before re-using it.
• Wipe down surfaces that have not been directly affected with a solution of one part chlorine bleach to four parts cold or tepid (not hot) water, mixed with a small amount of non-ammonia dishwashing detergent (chlorine bleach and ammonia, when mixed together, produce toxic fumes). Then rinse.
• Hose down any dirt sticking to walls and furnishings then rinse several times, removing the remaining water with a wet/dry shop vacuum.
• Work from the top down. Break out all ceilings and walls that have been soaked or that have absorbed water. Remove wall materials at least 50 cm above the high-water lines.
• Rinse then clean all floors as quickly as possible. Replace flooring that has been deeply penetrated by floodwater or sewage.
• Carpets must be dried within two days. Wastewatersoaked (sewage) carpets must be discarded. Homeowners can't effectively dry large areas of soaked carpets themselves. Qualified professionals are required.
• Clean and deodorize carpets or have them professionally cleaned.
• Clean all interior cavities with a solution of water, chlorine bleach, and non-ammonia dish detergent and dry thoroughly, checking often for mould and killing it with chlorine bleach. Ensure that structural members are dry (which could take weeks) before closing cavities in walls, crawl spaces, etc.
• Remove all soaked and dirty materials and debris including wet insulation and drywall, residual mud and soil, furniture, appliances, clothing and bedding.
• Scrub affected furniture with antibacterial soap and water and place outside to dry (weather permitting), or steam clean.
• Machine wash contaminated clothes in hot water and soap, adding one cup of chlorine bleach to the wash water.
• Throw out canned goods and other foods that may have been affected by floodwaters. This would include contaminated herbs and vegetables from your garden, if it were covered by floodwater from the sanitary sewer system.
• If your freezer has lost power, move frozen food to a neighbour's freezer, or throw it out if you cannot keep it frozen.
• Articles such as stuffed toys and paper goods contaminated by floodwaters should be discarded because they cannot be properly sanitized. Items of particular value that show no visible contamination pose a minimal risk once they are completely dry.
• Follow proper lifting procedure in order to prevent back injury.
• Minor debris can be left out for regular garbage pickup.

Before moving back in

• If appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or fuse/breaker panels have been flooded, do not energize or return to service until they have been inspected by Ottawa Hydro or a licensed electrical contractor.
• If they have been soaked, replace the furnace blower motor, switches and controls, insulation and filters. Inspect all flooded forced air heating ducts and returnduct pans and have them cleaned out or replaced. Replace insulation inside water heater, refrigerators and freezers if it has been wet.
• Flush and disinfect floor drains and sump pits using diluted chlorine bleach, and scrub them to remove greasy dirt and grime.

Level of City Service

The City regularly cleans its sewer main systems. We also inspect and monitor the city sewers using closed circuit television. When we find a problem, we follow up with the required maintenance, repairs and rehabilitation. However, unanticipated problems can occur and occasionally this can result in the backup of water and/or sewage. The City has expert staff on duty at all times to respond to such circumstances.

What City staff will do:

1. City staff will first check the City main sewer system adjacent to your property to make sure that it is working properly. If the problem is in the City's main sewer system, it will be fixed as soon as possible.
2. If we determine that the problem is not in the main sewer, we will offer to assist you at no charge, if resources permit, by attempting to define if the problem is in your building sewer lateral connection from your house to the main sewer.
3. If the problem is an internal house (wastewater) drain system problem we do not have the expertise or the resources to rectify it. You will have to retain the services of a plumber.
4. If the problem is due to one of the sewer lateral lines, repairs may be the building owner's responsibility, the City's responsibility, or a combination of the two.

Responsibility can only be assigned after Wastewater Collection Section staff has had a chance to review all pertinent data.

Solving the problem and who pays the cost

The first priority for City of Ottawa staff arriving at the scene of a flood is to determine whether the sewer is functioning properly. If it is blocked, it will require immediate attention to determine the best way to relieve the flooding. Flooding and back-ups can also be caused by internal plumbing problems or a burst water pipe. Responsibility for repair costs is only assigned after management staff with the Wastewater Collection section have reviewed all of the facts surrounding the problem.

The cause and location of the blockage usually determines who pays the cost of clearing the pipe. Generally speaking, blockages on sewer laterals are the responsibility of the homeowner, unless the blockage is due to roots from a City-owned tree or the pipe has collapsed on City property.

When the cause of the flooding is a blockage in the main sewer, generally located under the street, the City will clear the blockage at no charge to the homeowner. If the cause of the flooding is a blockage in the lateral that connects a home's drain system to the City main system, a contractor must be called in. As the homeowner, you'll have the option of selecting the contractor of your choice, or you can opt to use the City of Ottawa's contractor.

If you choose to use the City's contractor, City staff will supervise the work and a 15 per cent charge will be added to the contractor's invoice for this service. The volume of work contracted by the City allows for very competitive pricing for this service, more than offsetting the administrative charge.

If, during the course of the repair work, it is determined that the problem is the City's responsibility, you will not be charged for the repair work. The City will reimburse you if the contractor has already been paid. The amount reimbursed will be up to the amount normally paid by the City to its contractor for the same service. Requests for reimbursement of costs should be directed to the City's Risk Management Section at the address below.

In other cases, repair costs may be shared. If, for example, Wastewater staff determine that the City and the homeowner are responsible for the blockage, the repair costs could be shared 50/50.

Property owners who have incurred damages to buildings or contents should contact their insurance companies for assistance. Your insurer normally submits a claim to the City for investigation and response, on your behalf.

Correspondence regarding sewer-related damage claims against the City of Ottawa should be forwarded to:

Mail:
City of Ottawa
Legal Services, Claims Unit
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1J1

Email:
claims@ottawa.ca

Fax:
613-580-2654

The Claims Unit will ensure that the claims are acknowledged, investigated, tracked, evaluated and resolved.

If you have any questions, please contact our general claims line at 613-580-2655 or e-mail at claims@ottawa.ca

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