Sump pump installation in Ottawa, with backup for when the power goes out
A sump pump is the only thing between spring groundwater and a finished basement. The Ottawa Plumber installs pumps, pits and battery backups, and can tell you which City rebate applies.
What a sump pump does
Around the base of most foundations is a ring of perforated pipe called weeping tile. It collects groundwater before it can press against the basement walls and floor, and carries it to a pit in the basement floor. The sump pump sits in that pit. When the water rises, a float switch turns the pump on and it sends the water outside, away from the house.
When it works, you never think about it. When it fails during a thaw or a storm, the pit overflows and the water spreads across the basement floor within hours.
Parts of a system that will not let you down
A pump alone is not a system. These are the pieces that make it dependable.
City of Ottawa rebates for sump pumps
The Residential Protective Plumbing Program pays part of the cost of new protective plumbing in eligible homes. These are the sump pump amounts.
- Up to $1,500
- A primary or secondary sump pump with battery backup, installed in an existing pit.
- Up to $3,000
- A primary or secondary sump pump with battery backup, where a new pit has to be built.
- Permit fee refunded
- A building permit is required, and the City refunds the permit fee for approved protective plumbing work.
- Not for replacements
- The rebate is for new devices. Repairing or replacing an existing pump does not qualify.
Amounts and rules are from the City's website in November 2026. The City pays the lesser of the maximum or the actual cost, funding is limited each year, and eligibility has conditions, so read the program page before you count on it.
Why Ottawa basements depend on them
Much of Ottawa is built on clay, which drains slowly. When a winter's worth of snow melts over a few weeks in spring, the water has nowhere to go and the water table rises against foundations across the city. That is when a pump that has sat idle since autumn is suddenly asked to run every few minutes.
The other risk is power. The derecho of May 2022 left parts of the city without electricity for days, and a pump without backup is only a pit during an outage. A battery backup, or a pump wired to a generator, covers that gap.
How an installation goes
A replacement in an existing pit is usually a short visit. A new pit is a day of careful work.
Assessment
The plumber looks at where water collects, whether there is weeping tile to connect to, and where the discharge can safely go.
Permit
For a new installation, the building permit is arranged before work starts. You will need it for the rebate.
The pit
For a new system, the floor is cut, the pit is dug and a liner is set and sealed into the slab.
Pump, valve and discharge
The pump and check valve are fitted and the discharge line is run to the outside, sloped so it drains and does not freeze solid.
Backup and alarm
The battery backup pump and alarm are installed and wired.
Testing
The pit is filled with water to prove the main pump, the backup and the alarm each work, and you are shown how to test them yourself.
When to repair or replace a pump
Most pumps give some warning before they stop. These are the signs.
What a sump pump installation costs
The price depends on what is already in your basement. These are the things that change it.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to install a sump pump in Ottawa?
For a new installation, yes. The City of Ottawa requires a building permit for protective plumbing devices, including sump pumps, and you need the permit to claim the rebate. The City refunds the permit fee for approved work.
Can I get the City rebate for replacing an old sump pump?
No. The Residential Protective Plumbing Program covers new protective plumbing devices only. Maintenance, repair or replacement of an existing pump does not qualify.
How long does a battery backup run?
It depends on the battery size and how often the pump has to run. A backup is designed to carry a house through an outage of several hours of intermittent pumping, and larger batteries extend that. The plumber can size it for your pit.
Where should a sump pump discharge?
Outside, onto ground that slopes away from the house, at least 1.2 metres from the foundation according to the City of Ottawa. It must not be connected to the sanitary sewer.
Other work The Ottawa Plumber does
For everything else, from dripping taps to re-piping, see the main page for a plumber in Ottawa.
Tell us what the water is doing
613-820-5583Calling is fastest when something is leaking. For anything that can wait a day, send the form and you will get a call back.