Mentor Considers Grant Program for Properties Impacted by Flood

In response to the flood on July 20, Mentor City Council will vote on a private property sewer backup grant program to aid qualifying owners.

If passed, the city would provide a maximum of $1,500 to property owners who have had sewer backup problems since February 2011 and meet several other qualifications.

The city would allocate $1 million for the grant requests. The program is separate from the countywide FEMA application.

According to legislation that council will vote on in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Private Property Sanitary Sewer Reduction Grant seeks to prevent the flow excessive water to drain openings within at-risk homes in the city connected to the county's sewer collection system.

"The city recognizes that the Lake County sanitary sewer collection system serving portions of Mentor exceeds its hydraulic holding capacity during certain storm events and wet weather and poses a risk to private property owners," the legislation reads.

In addition to suffering damage or backup in connection to a storm since Feb. 28, 2011, here are a few key requirements for eligibility:

• Verification will be determined by the city through documentation of such an event being reported to the city, the county utilities department or an insurance provider.

• The structure must be legally connected to the county sanitary sewer collection system and the property owner agrees to "reasonable testing" to make that determination.

• Eligible work under the program includes eliminating basement connections; installing backflow/backwater check valves, floor drain plugs, float plugs or stand pipes; converting to overhead or high-wall plumbing; or other improvements approved by the city's engineer and chief building official that would prevent sanitary sewage from entering the home through fixtures or connections to the public system.