City aims to help homeowners control rainwater
Incentives, including grants, proposed in bid to keep polluted runoff out of Ottawa River
The City of Ottawa wants homeowners to do a better job of managing rainwater, even offering to pay some to improve their properties.
In launching a program called Rain Ready Ottawa this year, the city is aiming to persuade homeowners to invest in measures to capture or redirect stormwater, preventing run-off into creeks and rivers.
On Tuesday, council's standing committee on environmental protection, water and waste management showered staff with compliments for proposing the three-year pilot project. The committee was fully supportive in recommending approval by city council on Feb. 24.
The city is prepared to provide grants for some homeowners to help cover a portion of the costs related to adding redirection devices for their downspouts or installing rain gardens, soakaway pits and permeable paving. Certified landscape design would also be eligible for a grant.
The grant program is for property owners in “priority stormwater retrofit areas,” which are considered to be the Pinecrest Creek/ Westboro subwatershed and eastern subwatershed. A larger area will be eligible for landscape consultation services.
The city is working with Landscape Ontario to train local landscape companies on “fusion” landscaping, which has a focus on stormwater management.
The maximum grant would be capped at $5,000 per household.
The three-year pilot project is expected to cost $750,000, but if the city wants to continue it in 2024, after the test phase is done, it will have to make room for the spending in a long-range financial plan.
Keeping stormwater out of the Ottawa River has been a top environmental priority for the city for more than 10 years, ever since council in 2010 approved a $250-million “action plan” to clean the historic waterway. The city has been concerned about the quality of water in creeks and rivers, leading to a greater focus on stormwater management.
The city has previously run stormwater retrofit studies in the Pinecrest/Westboro and urban eastern areas of the city, in part, to prevent summer beach closures at Westboro Beach and Petrie Island. The studies came with 50-year targets for stormwater controls on private properties, but they rely heavily on actions by individual homeowners.
When council in 2016 changed the rate structure for water, sewer and stormwater management, it asked staff to look into crediting property owners who embrace stormwater-control measures.
Staff looked at 75 programs across North America for ideas and have come back with their pitch to council.
Residents shouldn't be surprised if they hear the city talk more about how stormwater management can improve the esthetics of properties, rather than dwell on the environmental benefits.
Staff project manager Julia Robinson told the committee that the environmental argument doesn't resonate as well as one promoting property beautification.
Councillors had no problem with staff appealing to people's desire for property esthetics in selling the program.
It's “sad, but the facts of life,” Coun. Theresa Kavanagh observed.
Coun. Keith Egli said he didn't mind seeing staff “sugar-coat” communications to get more people applying for the program.
“If it works, it works,” Egli said.