- Topic
- backwater valve program
- For
- Newmarket homeowners
- Need a hand?
- (365) 990-3021
The reason it counts
When heavy rain overwhelms the municipal sewers, wastewater can be pushed backward up the lateral that serves your house. The lowest opening is most often the basement floor drain, and that is where sewage appears. Cleaning up a sanitary backup is unpleasant and costly, and it carries health risks that a clean-water leak does not.
A backwater valve is fitted on the main building drain and holds a flap that normally hangs open. If flow reverses, the flap closes and seals the line. Many Ontario municipalities have encouraged these valves through grant or subsidy programs at various times, because each one also protects the wider system from claims and cleanup.
Steps, in order
- Find out whether you already have one. Look for a removable access cover in the basement floor near where the main drain leaves the house, often close to the front wall.
- Check current programs. Contact the Town of Newmarket, or your own municipality if you live in Aurora, East Gwillimbury or elsewhere in York Region, and ask whether a flood protection subsidy is offered right now. Programs open, close and change, so confirm details directly before planning.
- Learn the conditions. Many programs require a building permit, a licensed installer, inspection and receipts. Some require approval before the work starts.
- Book a camera inspection. It is sensible to look inside the sewer line first. A cracked or root-filled pipe should be dealt with at the same time.
- Plan for upkeep. Open the cover once or twice a year to confirm the flap swings without catching and no debris sits in it.
Bench note
Living with a valve: While the flap is closed during a backup, water from your own fixtures has no way out of the house. If you hear of street flooding, go easy on laundry, dishwashers and showers until it clears.
Normally open versus normally closed
The type commonly used in houses here is normally open, which keeps venting and drainage working as designed. The Ontario Building Code and local rules set out where and how valves may be fitted; a qualified installer and the town inspector will make sure yours meets them.
What it does not stop
A backwater valve does nothing for groundwater through foundation cracks or a failed sump. Our circular on basement flood prevention covers those defences, and for a sense of hot water equipment sitting in the same basement, see how long heaters last.
Ringing for help
We fit backwater valves in Stonehaven and across Newmarket, arrange the permit, and leave you with the paperwork a subsidy program usually asks for. If your floor drain has backed up before, we start with a camera inspection so the valve goes into a sound line. Some owners pair the job with a softener or an outdoor faucet repair to make one visit count.
Phoned-in questions
Does Newmarket offer a backwater valve subsidy?
Programs change over time. Contact the Town of Newmarket directly to ask whether one is currently available and what it requires.
Is a permit part of installing a backwater valve?
In most cases, yes, because the work alters the building drain. A permit and inspection are also typically required for any subsidy.
How often does a backwater valve want checking?
Twice a year or so, lift the access lid and make sure the flap swings freely and the chamber is clear.