Sump Pump Redirection Rebate Program

The Town of Stratford is launching a Sump Pump Redirection Rebate Program. With climate change leading to more intense and frequent rain and snow events, the run time of sump pumps is increasing.  This results in higher volumes of water being unnecessarily pumped to the Charlottetown Pollution Control Plant when sump pumps are connected to the municipal system. 

Why should I participate? 
Some property owners across our community, unknowingly or knowingly, have sump pump systems discharging into our sewer (wastewater) system. This discharged water is unnecessarily pumped into Charlottetown and treated. This type of connection is prohibited per the Town's Customer Service Regulations Bylaw 21.41 (a), which does not permit storm water to be directed into the Town’s sanitary sewer system.

An Inflow & Infiltration Study completed in 2018, revealed that some properties in Stratford have storm water directed into the wastewater system. These additional stormwater flows overload the Town’s sanitary sewer mains and lift stations, therefore increasing energy use as well as operational and maintenance costs. Also since the Town's flows are measured and then billed back to us by the City of Charlottetown, a reduction in the amount of flow on already tight Town budgets is a great help to the community in general.

How do I participate? 
The program will require the property owner to engage a licensed plumber to disconnect the sump pump discharge piping from the sanitary sewer line and redirect it to the exterior of the building, allowing the water to run into ditches, swales, storm catches, etc. Stratford Utility will maintain a database of participants and, if required, perform before and after site visits to confirm eligibility for the rebate. The property owner will be responsible to schedule and pay for the work and ensure all paid invoices are submitted to Stratford Utility before final review and reimbursement.

Program Eligibility
All Stratford property owners, either residential or commercial, with an existing sump pump or storm drain system connected directly to the municipal sanitary sewer system. This must be confirmed by a Town of Stratford employee prior to being accepted into the program or work commencing. 

Available Funding 
A property owner who registers and is approved for the program may receive a rebate of up to $2000 after work is completed by a licensed plumber in compliance with the criteria of the program, and final receipts are provided. The rebate will also cover costs to have a battery backup sump pump system installed which is the recommended system to ensure even during power outages your sump pump can continue to operate (provided the battery remains charged).


The Town of Stratford is taking this opportunity to educate our public while providing an incentive to help property owners with the associated costs to correct the improper connection of their sump pump system, and in many cases to add additional protection with the installation of a battery backup system.

The Town has been successful in securing shared funding through the Provincial Climate Challenge Fund to provide the Sump Pump Redirection Rebate Program and we are currently administering this program to property owners within the Town. The program will operate on a first come-first served basis and extend until all funds are depleted.

Please note that though this program is currently voluntary to participate in, the Town of Stratford hopes that residents who have a system improperly connected will use this rebate opportunity to redirect their sump pump to discharge correctly. Further enforcement may be required to ensure all properties in the Town of Stratford comply with the bylaw, with or without rebates offered at such a time. 

For more information or to sign up, please email Charlie at: [email protected]. 


Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my sump pump is connected to the sanitary sewer system? 
To determine if your system is properly discharging, check to see where your drainpipe is discharging. If it is to an outside connection directly, your system is properly connected. If it is connected to a pipe inside your home which is taking the flow into the sewer line, it is not.