Basement Sewage Backup Assistance

The City of Covington has partnered with Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky on a program that helps prevent sewage-contaminated water from backing up through basement drains during rainy weather.

SD1’s Backup Assistance program offers up to $10,000 in financial help so homeowners who have suffered basement sewage backups in the past can install a backflow preventer valve on basement drains.

The City has created a supplemental Backup Assistance Guarantee that will pay both for cleanup costs and to replace certain appliances should the properly installed and maintained backflow preventer valve fail.

Note this program is NOT an answer to basement water issues caused by water seeping through walls or through cracks in walls (i.e. leaky foundation), nor to issues caused by overland flooding that enters through a door or window.

The Covington Board of Commissioners on Aug. 9, 2022, approved ordinances adopting these documents:

• CITY OF COVINGTON BACKUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM POLICY.
• CITY OF COVINGTON BACKUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROCEDURES.
• CITY OF COVINGTON BACKUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AGREEMENT.

To be eligible for the Backup Assistance Program, residents must be the property owner and have experienced a wet-weather sewer backup in the past. City officials must also determine that a backflow preventer would fix the problem.

The process:

1. Property owners must present two completed documents to the City:
   1. A signed CITY OF COVINGTON BACKUP ASSISTANCE GUARANTEE PROGRAM APPLICATION.
   2. A SANITATION DISTRICT NO. 1 BACKUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AGREEMENT 

These must be given to Jackie Stephens, business analyst at the Covington Public Works Department, at 1730 Russell St., or via JStephens@covingtonky.gov. She can also be reached at (859) 292-2142.

2. Covington officials will determine whether the property meets eligibility guidelines. Note that all addresses on a PRE-APPROVED LIST created by an engineering firm for the City are automatically eligible to participate.

3. If deemed eligible, City officials will send an applicant a letter of acceptance (“notice to proceed) and five forms/documents that will be needed later in the process (and that are referenced below):
4. 1. SD1’s application for financial assistance.
   2. SD1’s release of claims.
   3. A list of plumbers approved by SD1 to install the valve.
   4. Plumber’s inspection form.
   5. Plumber’s invoice form.

4. The property owner will then find and hire a plumber from a list of AUTHORIZED PLUMBERS who have been approved by SD1 to install the valve. The list is alphabetized; note that Covington-based companies are shaded.

5. When the work is completed, the property owner must fill out, sign, and submit four documents to the City’s Public Works Department:
6. 1. SD1 BACKUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
   2. SD1’s RELEASE OF CLAIMS.
   3. PLUMBER’S CHECKLIST (filled out by the plumber).
   4. Plumber’s invoice.

6. A storm water inspector from the City will contact the property owner to arrange an inspection of the completed installation.
7. The City notifies SD1 of the passed inspection, and SD1 sends a check (up to $10,000) to the property owner to cover the cost of the invoice. Note the jobs typically cost $5,000 to $7,500. If the cost is above $10,000 due to pre-approved unusual circumstances, the City of Covington will pay the balance of the invoice.
8. The City and the property owner sign the CITY OF COVINGTON BACKUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AGREEMENT. As part of this agreement, if the backflow preventer valve fails and sewage backs up into a basement, the City agrees to pay both cleanup costs and to replace any and all of these appliances damaged by the water – hot water heater, washer, and drier. However, this agreement remains in effect only if the valve was properly maintained.