Welland backwater valve and sump pump rebate: the SWAP rule card.

The City of Welland Sewage Water Alleviation Program (SWAP) reimburses homeowners up to $7,500 combined per home: up to $1,500 for a backwater valve, and up to $6,000 for stormwater disconnection work. The rule that catches people off guard: a mandatory pre-work site inspection has to happen, and the City needs quotes from at least two different contractors, before any work is arranged.

What the program pays

The City of Welland Sewage Water Alleviation Program reimburses up to $7,500 combined per household, split between a backwater valve, up to $1,500, and stormwater disconnection improvements (foundation drain/weeping tile disconnection, downspout disconnection, sump pit, pump and discharge piping, and vitrified clay lateral replacement where applicable), up to an additional $6,000.

The backwater valve and stormwater work are bundled

This is one project scope, not two independent grants. Foundation drains must be disconnected from the sanitary system, downspouts must be disconnected from below-ground sanitary discharge, and a sump system must be installed as part of the same eligible-work definition that also includes the backwater valve. A required item can be dropped from scope only if the homeowner can prove it is already done or is not applicable to the property.

The two-quote requirement

The homeowner must obtain written quotations from at least two different contractors for the required work; these quotes form the basis of cost evaluation even if the work is carried out by the homeowner, and reimbursement is based on the lowest quotation submitted, up to the per-household limit. The homeowner pays the contractor directly; the City reimburses afterward.

What is not covered

Repairs to plugged foundation drains or sewer laterals alone are not covered: the program funds disconnection work and flood-protection devices, not clearing an existing blockage. If the City's inspection finds a plugged or blocked lateral, the homeowner decides whether repairs are needed and pays the full cost separately.

Eligibility, in general terms

A homeowner of a residential property with a basement can apply. The property's connection to the sanitary sewer is confirmed via a mandatory pre-work City inspection, and a building permit is required before work begins, with a final inspection before any excavation is backfilled. The City's own program page states no current funding status or application deadline; confirm the current process directly with the City's Building Division before applying.