Utilities Kingston invites homeowners to participate in a free workshop to help them manage excess water on their property, prevent basement flooding and comply with the City of Kingston’s Sewer Use Bylaw. New this year, Utilities Kingston is offering an advanced option for home owners who have participated in an Everything Drainage Workshop in the past, or for those seeking more in-depth information.

Have standing water on your property? Notice your sump pump running frequently? The Everything Drainage Workshop is for you. It’s also for homeowners who would like to make every raindrop count to conserve tap water.

Learning how storm water and rainfall should be handled on your property can help you conserve water and reduce the risk of water damage to your property, while helping to protect your neighbours from basement flooding and sewage back-ups.

You will learn:

• Home Drainage 101
• Simple, do-it-yourself drainage solutions
• About the Preventative Plumbing Program – the popular financial assistance program to help homeowners install plumbing measures that reduce the risk of sewage back-ups and basement flooding
• How to manage standing or excess water using landscaping and rain-scaping techniques

The enhanced option offers more detailed information about managing surface and rain water, using preventative plumbing and implementing water-wise gardening practices. You’ll get into the nitty-gritties, including calculating rainfall, and sizing trenches, French drains and basins.

The two-hour workshops, offered at the times below, take place at 85 Lappan’s Lane. Meet at the front doors to enter the building for the workshop. Events will be held on the following dates:

Beginner workshops:

• Wednesday, July 17, 6-8 p.m.
• Saturday, July 27, 10 a.m.-noon.

Advanced workshops:

• Wednesday, Aug. 14, 6-8 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.-noon.

Register online, using our quick and easy-to-use form, or call 613-546-0000 and say ‘conservation’.

Want more information? Check out the following pages on our website for, water-smart gardening, sustainable and organic gardening, and for information related to basement flooding and the Preventative Plumbing Program.