City Votes To End Downspout Program, As 50,000 More Sign Up
Posted November 21, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s officially too late to sign up for the free downspout disconnection program offered by the City.
Toronto city council voted Tuesday night to halt the free service, which otherwise would cost homeowners about $1,300. Publicity over the vote to end the service resulted in another 50,000 people signing up for it in the past few days.
The city has so far only budgeted $3.5 million for the program next year, but given the number of people who’ve signed up for it so far the total cost could end up being in the $65 million range.
It could take 10 years to fulfill all the requests and in the meantime water rates may keep rising for residents to pay for the service.
At this point proceeds from water rates are supposed to cover the cost of disconnection but according to officials those rates would have to rise by another 10 per cent to do so.
City officials want to get rid of downspouts because they send rainfall directly into sewers, potentially flooding water treatment plants and causing untreated sewage to flow into the lake.
