Program facts are from the City's Project Dry Basement page and fact sheet, read 23 October 2026. The program began in July 2004.
Sewer backup or seepage?
| Sewer backup | Seepage | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | Water and sewage coming up from a floor drain or fixture | Water through walls, floor cracks or windows |
| Who pays | City, for the basic Project Dry Basement install | You |
| Who does it | A certified plumber under the City's installation contract | A waterproofing contractor you hire |
| Fix | Backflow prevention device (backwater valve) with an audible alarm on the sewer line | Drain tile, sump, wall sealing and similar |
| First call | Sewer Maintenance, 614-645-7102 (24 hours) or 311 | A contractor, after you rule out a backup |
How the program works
- Report it fast. Call 614-645-7102 or use 311 as soon as it happens and keep the service request number; the City needs the report within 24 hours to work out the cause.
- City determination. Staff must find that excess rainwater surcharging the public sewer caused it, or a blockage in it.
- Application. If you qualify, the City mails a program application. Eligible: single- and two-family homes in Columbus; rentals need a plumbing inspection (Building and Zoning Services, 614-645-6340).
- Install. A certified plumber on the City's contract cuts the floor, cleans the service line, installs the valve, refinishes the floor and adds the alarm. You must be home to give access.
- Extras. If the job needs more, such as rerouting the service line, the contractor itemizes it before work starts and you decide.
- Afterwards. The device is yours to maintain; the City replaces it if it fails within one year.
Questions: 614-645-8404 or FloodAndWetBasement@columbus.gov, with your service request number.
Two things this means for hiring. First, do not pay a private plumber for a backwater valve before you report the backup; the free route starts with the City's call record. Second, a waterproofing company's quote does not fix a sewer backup, and the City's valve does not fix seepage, so find out which you have before signing anything.
What Columbus's waterproofing permits show
| Measure | Columbus basement waterproofing |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,074 |
| Firms | 12 |
| Usual filed value | $5,967 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value (3+ permits) | $7,270 to $10,780 |
| Reached final (permits a year or more old) | 60.4% |
| Share held by the busiest firm | 78.1% |
| Share held by the five busiest | 95.4% |
| Busiest / quietest month | October (145) / December (66) |
This is the most concentrated trade in our Columbus data. One firm, Basement Doctor, holds 78.1% of the permits, and five firms hold 95.4%. The usual firm's job value runs $7,270 to $10,780, so a quote far outside that deserves a second one. Only 60.4% of permits a year or more old reached final; ask who schedules the inspection.
For plumbing work outside the program, Columbus plumbers filed 13,097 permits in the same window, and 67.8% of the older ones reached final.
Compare Columbus basement waterproofing firms →
Costs by firm: Columbus waterproofing cost. Plumbing permits: Columbus plumbing permit and compare Columbus plumbers. Lead pipes are a separate City program: Columbus lead service line replacement. Totals by year: Columbus permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
Project Dry Basement installs are done under a City contract, and we cannot pick them out of the permit file. Waterproofing filed values are the contractor's estimate. Our data covers the City of Columbus, the same area the program serves; suburbs with Columbus addresses are outside both.
How we know this
Eligibility, the reporting window, the installation steps, costs and maintenance are from the City of Columbus Project Dry Basement page and fact sheet, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City of Columbus permits classified as basement waterproofing or plumbing on homes, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old.
Numbers come from City of Columbus Building & Zoning Services permits on 1-, 2- and 3-family homes (the city's Accela permit layer), data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Is Project Dry Basement free in Columbus?
The basic installation is. The City's fact sheet says 'There is no direct cost to the homeowner for basic installation.' If extra work is needed, such as rerouting the service line, the contractor itemizes it and you decide whether to go ahead.
- Who qualifies for Project Dry Basement?
Single- and two-family homes in the City of Columbus whose basement backed up because the public sewer surcharged in wet weather or was blocked. You report the backup first, ideally within 24 hours, and City staff must find that excess rainwater caused it. Rentals can apply but need a plumbing inspection.
- How do I report a sewer backup in Columbus?
Call the 24-hour Sewer Maintenance Operations Center at 614-645-7102 right away, or report it through 311, and keep the service request number. If the City finds you eligible, it mails you a program application.
- Does Project Dry Basement fix a leaking basement wall?
No. The fact sheet says the device does not prevent wet basements caused by seepage through walls or windows. That is waterproofing work, which you pay for; Columbus's usual basement waterproofing permit in our data was filed at $5,967.
- Who maintains the backflow valve after Project Dry Basement installs it?
You do. The valve becomes part of your sewer line. The City asks owners to inspect and clean it monthly: open the lid with the key, clean and grease the O-ring, clean the flapper with mild dish soap, reseat it and tighten the lid, or the alarm may not sound. Devices that fail within a year of installation are replaced under warranty.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- How to check a contractor's license in Minnesota
- Columbus lead service line replacement: Lead-Safe Columbus, the work agreement, and the LEAP loan
- Cape Coral UEP: connecting to City water and sewer within 180 days, the septic abandonment, and hiring the plumber
- Chicago lead service line replacement: the free programs, the $5,000 permit fee waiver, and hiring a plumber
For one city
- Project Dry Basement — City of Columbus Division of Sewerage and Drainage (accessed 2026-10-23)
- What is Project Dry Basement? (fact sheet, PDF) — City of Columbus (accessed 2026-10-23)