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Note: Do not use a P.O. Box for your address. You must use the physical street addresses of the property that is located within the Blueprint Neighborhood.
One of the central goals for Blueprint Columbus is to keep rain water out of the sanitary sewer system, preventing it from filling up beyond its capacity and overflowing into rivers or basements. To reduce basement flooding, we offer free sump pump installation for qualifying homeowners.
Older homes were built before sump pumps were commonly used to direct rain water away from the foundation drain. In homes built before the 1960s, the foundation drain connects directly to the sanitary sewer. During heavy rain events, those foundation drains push a lot of rainwater into our sanitary sewer system, contributing to sewer overflows.
Interested homeowners can apply for the sump pump program, after which City staff will determine eligibility. Those eligible will enter into a written agreement with the City of Columbus authorizing the installation of a sump pump.
All residents living in single family or duplex homes within an active Blueprint project area are eligible for a sump pump through Blueprint.
A hole measuring 2-3 feet deep and 2-3 feet wide is dug in the basement floor. The sump pit is installed in the hole and weighted down, following which the sump pump is placed into the pit.
To direct water away from the house, a PVC pipe is installed from the pump, through the basement wall, into a shallow trench leading to the discharge location – usually the street, but always at least 7 feet from the house.
The final step is to replace the concrete around the sump pit in the basement floor. Once that’s done, the homeowner has their new sump pump, free of charge and complete with a backup battery and 1-year warranty!
A small pump inside a pit in the basement floor that directs water away from the home’s foundation, into a pipe that leads to the street. Sump pumps have been a standard requirement in new homes since the mid-1960s.
Sump pumps keep rain water out of the sanitary sewer by directing it away from your home’s foundation and into a pipe that leads to the street where it can drain into the storm sewer system. The City is offering sump pumps to eligible homeowners in areas where a lot of rain water is getting into the sanitary sewer.
Residents with a single-family or duplex home can apply for the program if the home is located in an area where the City is implementing Blueprint Columbus. The City will determine eligibility after investigating whether a sump pump would be a cost-effective application.
There are no direct costs to the homeowner. Blueprint Columbus is a solution to a problem that affects the entire community and is being paid for with revenue from City sewer bills.
The foundation drain, which is a perforated pipe around the perimeter of the basement, collects ground water and directs it to the pit.
No, the City will select the contractor and enter into an agreement with the contractor.
The sump pump will come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Once the warranty period is over, the homeowner will be responsible for replacing a failed sump pump.
There is no guarantee that a sump pump will keep rain water from seeping into your basement. For example, a sump pump will not stop water from seeping into a basement through windows or walls. However, in most cases, a sump pump will improve a basement’s drainage.
The sump pump will have a battery back-up.
Once installed, the homeowner will be responsible for maintaining the sump pump.
No, anyone in the project area is eligible to apply for the sump pump program. Residents who do not have a sump pump or have a non-working sump pump qualify for an inspection.
The sump pump program is not a waterproofing program. Putting in a sump pump helps us reach our project goal of keeping rainwater out of the sanitary sewer system. Sump pumps also help with drawing water away from a home’s foundation and directing it out to the street—which helps keep basements drier.
No, the rain gardens are directly connected to the storm sewer system. Rain gardens help get rainwater runoff out of the street and act as natural filters for rainwater before it reaches our storm sewers and eventually a river or stream. Rain gardens do not cause basement flooding.
The goal of the project is to carry away as much rainwater as possible from your home. The sump pump is provided as an additional component of the project to address any direct connections of the foundation drain from the lateral line and to mitigate additional rainwater from seeping into the sanitary pipe at the connection joints.