Disconnecting your downspout can help protect your home from basement flooding

Protect your basement from flooding by disconnecting your downspout from the City’s sewer system.

If you live in an older home, you might have a downspout that connects directly to the City’s sanitary and stormwater sewer system. Disconnecting your downspout is an easy and low-cost way to help prevent your basement from flooding.

Why is it important to disconnect your downspout?

During heavy rainstorms, rainwater from your roof is funneled directly into the sewers which can overload them, causing your basement to flood.

Disconnecting your downspouts and redirecting them to your yard or garden instead keeps rainwater out of the sewer system and reduces the risk of basement flooding. It also helps prevent polluted rainwater from going into our rivers and streams.

What if you have a backwater valve?

A backwater valve can protect against sewer back-ups caused by an overwhelmed sewer line. They are designed to close the sewer line during periods of heavy rain to prevent water from entering your home. However, if you have a connected downspout, you may still have an increased risk of basement flooding because direct downspout connections are typically behind your backwater valve.

It is more important than ever to take steps to protect your home from flooding. Climate change is causing more extreme weather, including more storms which bring with them significant amounts of rainfall over short periods of time.

Disconnecting your downspout

Disconnecting your downspout is a quick and easy project. Make sure that:

• The downspout redirects water at least three metres away from your property
• Your downspout does not drain onto your neighbour’s property
• The slope of your yard allows water to flow away from your foundation

Once you’ve disconnected your downspout, you will need to cap the end that is coming out of the ground.

Rebate and grant programs

You may be eligible for financial assistance through City programs to help manage rainwater on your property and protect your home from flooding:

• Rain Ready Ottawa offers rebates of up to $5,000 to qualified homeowners to manage rainwater on your property, including downspout disconnection and redirection
• The Residential Protective Plumbing program provides financial assistance to qualified homeowners for the installation of protective plumbing devices such as sump pumps and storm and sanitary backwater valves
• The Compassionate Grant program provides financial assistance to qualified property owners and tenants affected by flooding due to a sewer surcharge event

Learn more about how to prevent your home from basement flooding on the City of Ottawa basement flooding page. If you experience basement flooding, report it to the City using the flood reporting form.