Backup Reimbursement Program

Assistance With Damages From Sewer Backups

What is the Backup Reimbursement Program?

The Backup Reimbursement Program (BURP) is an annually funded cost-reimbursement program designed to assist homeowners that have experienced or are interested in preventing basement flooding due to sanitary sewer backflow. This program provides a cost-reimbursement towards the incurred losses and damages resulting from eligible sanitary sewer backups.


Program Background

Defects or aging infrastructure in the private sewer lines from homes/businesses can impact the sanitary sewer collection system by allowing infiltration and inflow of storm and surface water. This additional water can cause the system to exceed its normal operating limits. When this happens, sanitary sewage can backflow into private properties, resulting in basement flooding. As such, KWRD performs regular inspections, maintenance, and repairs on various components of the public collection system to ensure the integrity of the infrastructure and to prevent improper connections and/or service blockages.


Despite these efforts, the collection system can be potentially impacted by the inflow and infiltration (I/I) of stormwater from wet weather events and from other systemic issues (i.e. grease blockages, root intrusion, etc.). Therefore, KWRD has established a Backup Reimbursement Program to provide financial assistance to residents that have experienced sanitary sewer backups resulting from blockages or defects in the public sanitary sewer.

A diagram of a property connected sewers system

Backup Reimbursement Program Details

Keep Backflow Out of Your Basement

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for the Backup Reimbursement Program, an applicant must be a residential property owner and must also be a current KWRD customer.  During or immediately after experiencing a sanitary sewer backup in your home, contact the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District to receive an inspection of your private sanitary service and the associated public sanitary sewer infrastructure. A will qualify for reimbursment through this Program if it is determined that the sewage backup was caused by a blockage or defect in the public sewers.


Eligible homeowners can receive a cost-reimbursement of $3,000 for a qualifying sanitary sewage backup event. A full breakdown of program details can be found by clicking the button below:

BURP Program Guide

Lateral Assistance Program

KWRD has also established a program, the Lateral Assistance Program (LAP), that aims to assist homeowners in making improvements to their private sanitary services which if collapsed or leaking can contribute to the possibility of sanitary sewer backups. The Lateral Assistance Program is designed to assist homeowners with the costs associated with improvements, repairs, or replacement of homeowners' private sanitary service. The LAP Program also aims to assist homeowners with the installation of eligible backflow prevention devices.


FIND OUT ABOUT THE LATERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Sump Pump Assistance

When illegal sump pump hookups pump water into the sanitary sewer, it puts a strain on the system and can cause backflow into your property. The City of DeKalb has a program that reimburses eligible homeowners some of the cost of connecting sump pump lines to the storm sewer, where they belong.


If you need work done on both your sanitary line and your sump pump line, you may be eligible to receive help from both programs.


FIND OUT ABOUT THE CITY OF DEKALB SUMP PUMP PROGRAM

Backup Reimbursement Program - Application for Participation & Access Agreement

You may obtain the P.I.N. (Permanent Index Number) for your property from your real estate tax bill, or at the DeKalb County website: http://gis.dekalbcounty.org/qtas/COMPASSSearch.asp 



In consideration of good and valuable consideration, receipt, and sufficiency of which are hereby expressly acknowledged, the Owner(s) (hereinafter also referred to as “Grantors”), legal owners of the below described property, hereby warrant, grant and convey to the KISHWAUKEE WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT, a body politic and corporate of DeKalb County, Illinois, (hereinafter referred to as “District”) its engineers, contractors, agents, successors and assigns, the right to inspect, test, measure flows or otherwise monitor each underground private sanitary service the right of access thereto, in, upon, under, over, through and across the land over each private sanitary service from the property line to each building located at the property identified above.


The access for said private sanitary service, herein granted, is subject the following terms and covenants, which the District expressly acknowledges, undertakes, and agrees to fulfill to-wit:


1. The District shall be granted access as reasonably necessary to ensure Grantors’ compliance with the Backup Reimbursement Program.


2. All pets shall be confined for the duration of the inspection to an area where pets will not have contact with KWRD personnel. 


3. This access shall not unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of the Grantors’ property, by the Grantors, their successors, and assigns.


4. In the event that a private sanitary service requires repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement, Grantors agree to cooperate with the District to allow reasonable additional access for such work. The responsibility for the repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement shall be governed by ordinances of the District in effect as of the date of this Agreement and as subsequently amended from time to time.


5. If the surface of the subject property is disturbed by the District, its engineers, contractors, agents, successors or assigns, at any time, and from time to time, by the inspection, testing, reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair, or replacement in connection with said private sanitary service, the District shall, at its sole cost and expense, repair and restore any disturbed property to substantially the same condition that existed immediately prior to such disturbances, including, without limitation, necessary repairs and replacements of paving and landscaping.


6. Grantors agree that the operation and maintenance of said private sanitary service shall be governed by the ordinances of the District in effect as of the date of this Agreement and as subsequently amended from time to time.


The District, as a condition of rights granted to it by this Agreement, hereby agrees to protect, indemnify and hold the owners of the above-described property harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, causes of action, losses, suits, liabilities, judgements and decrees relating to the use of this Agreement, and the costs and expenses (including attorney’s fees) incident to the defense of and by such owners, in any manner caused by, resulting from, growing out of, connected with, or in any way attributable to its use of this Agreement.


 “Grantors” when used herein is intended to refer to the holder or holders from time to time of title to the Tract and to any portions thereof. All provisions of this Agreement, including the benefits of burdens, are hereby declared to run with the land and shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto, as well as, the future owners of the above-described property. This Agreement will be recorded with the DeKalb County Recorder of Deeds to serve as notice of future owners of the subject property.


For the consideration expressed herein, the District joins in the execution of this document for the purpose of accepting, consenting, and agreeing to the terms and obligations contained in this Agreement.