Overhead Sewer Grant Program
The City of Bloomington would like to encourage homeowners to apply for assistance in correcting potential or existing basement flooding problems that may be caused by the manner in which their existing sanitary sewer service for their residence is connected to the City of Bloomington’s Sanitary or Combination Sewer System.
This program is meant to specifically address basement flooding issues caused by sewage and sewer water entering a basement area by means of the floor drains or other plumbing fixtures located in the basements of the affected structures. It is not meant to correct basement flooding issues caused by faulty/failing sanitary sewer services nor is it meant to provide for the replacement of any sanitary sewer service or septic tank system.
This program will require the disconnection of all basement plumbing fixtures which may currently be connected directly to the structure’s sanitary sewer service. These same basement plumbing fixtures will be reconnected to an approved Sewage Ejection Pump System, which will reroute the basement plumbing fixtures to an overhead sewer connection. Properties approved for participation in this program must agree to the conditions stated within this document. This program may end at the discretion of the City of Bloomington. This program will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis and is based upon location of property with regards to demonstrated needs. Emergency situations shall allow priority placement on the list provided the situation is documented in writing by City of Bloomington Staff. Each address shall be limited to one Overhead Sewer Grant unless otherwise authorized, in writing, by the Director of Engineering or their designated appointee.
1. Program Requirements:
1.1 The property where the Sewage Ejection Pump System is to be installed must be located within the City of Bloomington Corporate limits.
1.2 The property must be single family residential (including duplexes) and must be Owner occupied, verified by Title Search or other procedures in place within the City of Bloomington used for property ownership/occupation verification. Rental properties, properties which contain 3 or more residential units or any property used for commercial purpose are not eligible for this program. Properties being sold using Contract for Deed methods shall not be eligible for this program.
1.3 Properties will be reviewed on a case by case basis, with those properties which contain verifiable connections to a combination sewer system receiving priority.
1.4 All appropriate permits shall be obtained prior to the start of work, but AFTER the applicant has received approval, in writing, from the City of Bloomington’s Code Enforcement Division.
1.5 No reimbursements shall be made for existing sewage ejection pump systems or for the retrofitting of existing sewage ejection pump systems.
1.6 All work to be performed must be performed by contractors registered with the City of Bloomington’s Code Enforcement Division. Work performed by unlicensed personnel, including the homeowner, will not be eligible for reimbursement from the City of Bloomington. Furthermore, all work performed must meet any applicable codes, ordinances and/or laws, and must be inspected and approved by the appropriate City personnel.
1.7 Homeowners must verify the integrity of their existing sanitary sewer service to ensure that it is structurally sound and has not become blocked by any natural or man made substance.
1.8 The City of Bloomington shall not be responsible for the maintenance, repair, or warranty work of the Sewage Ejection Pump system performed under the context of this Grant.
1.9 The City of Bloomington reserves the right to determine the minimum control measures necessary to prevent the flooding of a basement. This may include the installation of check valves in floor drains in lieu of installing a complete sewage ejection pump system. The control measures selected for use shall be based upon conditions existing at the time the Application is approved, NOT upon future conditions or renovations.
2. Program Coverage:
This program is meant to cover the cost of pre-approved parts and materials used specifically for the installation of a SINGLE sewage ejection system, including, but not limited to the following:
2.1 Costs of materials and labor for installation of the plumbing connections specifically required for the installation of the sewage ejection pump system. This may include plumbing pipes that must be relocated to ensure the proper installation of the sewage ejection pump system. Every effort should be made to configure the sewage ejection system to prevent the unnecessary removal/relocation of existing plumbing fixtures and their associated connections.
2.3 Cost of materials and labor for the removal of any building, heating, ventilation or air conditioning related item which must be removed to allow for the proper installation of the sewage ejection system. Every effort should be made to configure the sewage ejection system to prevent the unnecessary removal/relocation of any existing building, heating, ventilation or air conditioning related item building and their associated connections. Every effort shall also be made to ensure structural and/or load bearing members are not disturbed during the installation of the sewage ejection system.
3. Items not covered by this program:
This program is not meant to reimburse the homeowner for the following items:
3.1 Redundant systems which may include but are not limited to any form of backup system, fail safe system, etc.
3.2 Any inconvenience the homeowner may encounter as a result of volunteering to participate within this program.
3.3 Repair/replacement/installation of any type of floor covering, including, but not limited to:
A. Carpeting
B. Floor rugs
C. Hardwood/wood flooring
D. Floor paint
E. Tile, regardless of type
F. Linoleum
G. Any type of laminate flooring
H. Stone
I. Any other material used as a covering for or part of a floor system.
3.4 Repair/replacement/installation of any type of wall covering, including, but not limited to:
A. Wood
B. Paneling
C. Drywall
D. Insulation
E. Wallpaper
F. Paint
G. Cloth materials
H. Carpeting
I. Stone
J. Glass blocks
K. Metal
L. Brick
M. Any type of veneer or similar material
N. Any other material used as a covering for or part of a wall covering system.
3.5 Repair/replacement /installation of any type of ceiling covering, including, but not limited to:
A. Wood
B. Paneling
C. Drywall
D. Insulation
E. Ceiling tile
F. Any other material used as a covering for or part of a ceiling system.
3.6 Repair/replacement/installation or completion of remodeling work, including but not limited to:
A. Any form of building, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical or plumbing circuits/systems;
B. Any form of building, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical or plumbing circuits/systems meant to improve the appearance of the area in which the system is installed, provided these items are not required for the proper installation of the sewage ejection pump system.
3.7 Sump Pump repair/replacement or installation. This program is NOT meant to assist with problems associated with flooding caused by ground water infiltration or sump pump failure.
4. Sequence of Events:
4.1 The homeowner must complete the Overhead Sewer Program application and submit it to the City of Bloomington’s Code Enforcement Division for review.
4.2 The City of Bloomington shall review the applications on a case by case basis. This review shall include, but is not limited to the following:
A. Verification the property is located within the City of Bloomington’s Corporate Limits.
B. Verification the applicant is both the Owner AND the Occupant of the property applying for acceptance into this program. The verification shall be conducted by a Title Search or other means available to the City of Bloomington Staff.
C. Verification the property is currently connected to the City of Bloomington’s Sanitary Sewer system.
D. Determination as to the location of the nearest Combination Sewer.
E. Determination if the property in question is directly connected to a Combination Sewer.
F. The city shall schedule an on-site inspection of the property to further verify the need for inclusion of the property within this program. This on-site inspection shall also be conducted as a means of reviewing the intent of the program with the homeowner. This inspection shall also be used to explain items that may be contained within the basement which will not be reimbursable to the homeowner by the City of Bloomington. The City will schedule on-site visits during their normal working hours, which are Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM. The City will make no more than 2 attempts to schedule the initial on-site visit. Homeowners that fail to provide on-site access to their property shall be denied participation in this program.
4.3 The City of Bloomington shall notify the applicant, in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the application for this program as to the status of their application.
4.4 The City of Bloomington shall select the appropriate contractors from a list of approved Contractors maintained by the City of Bloomington. The City of Bloomington may select one (1) electrical contractor and one (1) plumbing contractor or may choose one Contractor that is registered with the City of Bloomington for both electrical and plumbing disciplines. Contractors shall be chosen using a quote process with a minimum of three quotes being obtained for each contract to be let. All bids must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by the deadline date. All bids must be opened at the City Clerk’s office following established procedures.
4.6 The homeowner must ensure the appropriate permits have been obtained by the contractors they select and must make their property available at reasonable times for inspection of the various stages of work associated with the installation of the Sewage Ejection Pump System.
4.7 The homeowner shall be responsible for entering into a contract with the appropriate contractors. The City of Bloomington shall be held harmless for any work performed by the Contractor. The City of Bloomington shall be provided with a copy of the contract prior to the commencement of any work.
4.8 The Plumbing and Electrical contractors may only use materials approved by the City of Bloomington’s Electrical or Plumbing Codes. The City of Bloomington will not provide reimbursement for the materials which have not been approved for use in the installation of the Sewage Ejection Pump system or for the labor involved to install said unapproved materials.
4.9 The homeowner shall be responsible for contacting the City of Bloomington and arranging for the final inspection of all work related to the installation of the Sewage Ejection Pump system.
5. Payment Procedures
5.1 Upon completion of the work, the Contractor must submit the following items for review by the City of Bloomington to determine which items shall and shall not be eligible for payment to the Contractor by the City of Bloomington.
A. A copy of all permits necessary to complete the installation of the Sewage Ejection Pump system;
B. A copy of all pre-approved addendum and signed pay request forms which have been signed by the homeowner. Any work performed, materials used, or labor expenses incurred without prior approval of the Code Enforcement Division Staff will not be eligible for reimbursement.
5.2 The City of Bloomington shall review all documentation and may approve payment up to a maximum of $4,500 for a specific property. Any expenses incurred above this amount shall be the sole responsibility of the homeowner. All expenses incurred during the process used to determine the Owner is the Occupant of the property shall be charged against the $4,500 maximum payment for an individual property. The City reserves the right to adjust the maximum payment, either up or down, based upon availability of moneys or individual property needs. At no point in time shall the maximum annual budgeted amount be exceeded without express consent of the Director of Engineering and the Bloomington City Manager.
6. Indemnification
6.1 The City of Bloomington shall not be responsible for any problems that may arise from the homeowner’s voluntary participation in this program.
For Program Application Assistance:
Please contact Tony Brown @ 309-434-2838
