Backwater valves · Edmonton
Up to $800 back from EPCORBackwater Valve Installation in Edmonton
One valve between your basement and the city's sewer.
When Edmonton's sewers fill up in a storm, the water looks for somewhere to go. A backwater valve makes sure that somewhere is not your basement. We have installed hundreds of them across the city.
Is your home the kind that floods?
Most Edmonton homes that need a backwater valve tick at least one of these boxes:
- Built before 1989. Valves only became required in new builds after 1989, so older homes often have nothing stopping a backup.
- A flood-prone neighbourhood. Low-lying areas and older sewer districts feel it first when the system is overwhelmed.
- A backup has already happened to you, or to a neighbour on your street. Sewers do not send warning letters.
- Separately serviced. Single family homes and duplexes are the homes this rebate was made for.
If that sounds like your house, the good news: the city will help pay for the fix.
The $800 EPCOR rebate, in plain English
EPCOR and the City of Edmonton run a subsidy for exactly this job. Last we checked it covers up to $800 of the install for qualifying homes, and the application is genuinely simple:
1. Get pre-approved, free
This step is entirely with EPCOR (we are not affiliated with them). An advisor confirms your home qualifies before you spend a dollar. Start at epcor.com.
2. Call us to install
With your approval in hand, call 780-717-3743 and one of our journeyman plumbers installs the valve to code.
3. Submit and get paid back
Our invoice carries everything the application needs. You submit it, and the subsidy comes back to you by cheque from EPCOR / the City of Edmonton.
Fine print, honestly: you pay for the install in full first and the subsidy reimburses you. Funding is first come, first served and never guaranteed... though we have yet to see a qualifying homeowner turned down.
What the valve actually does
Picture a one-way door in your main sewer line. Normal days, everything flows out of your house freely. When the city sewer surcharges in heavy rain, pressure pushes the door shut and holds it shut until the surge passes. Sewage physically cannot reach your basement drains while the valve is closed. No power, no app, no maintenance schedule... it just sits there waiting for the one bad day a decade when it earns its keep.
How installation day goes
Every home's plumbing is a little different, and some need more digging than others. A basic install looks like this:
Find the main
We locate your main sewer line and open the concrete above it, neatly and only where we need to.
Fit the valve
A section of the line comes out and the backwater valve goes in, set so it can still be accessed and serviced later.
Inspect and close up
The work gets inspected and signed off, then the floor is re-concreted. Your invoice doubles as your rebate paperwork.
Why Edmonton calls EVCO for this job
Hundreds in the ground
Backwater valves are a specialty here, not an occasional side job. We are confident we are among the fastest installs in town.
The plumbers' plumber
Sewer companies refer their customers to us for valves, and other plumbing companies have subcontracted us to do theirs. Booking direct cuts out the middle man.
Fair price, family business
We aim to be among the lowest priced in town for this service, and you deal with a family owned Edmonton company from quote to final inspection.
Questions homeowners ask us
How much does a backwater valve cost in Edmonton?
It depends mostly on how much excavation your home needs, which is why any honest quote starts with looking at your sewer line. The EPCOR subsidy offsets up to $800 for qualifying homes, and our pricing is consistently among the lowest in town. Call 780-717-3743 and we will talk through your situation.
Do I already have a backwater valve?
If your home was built after 1989, almost certainly yes: they have been required in new Edmonton homes since then. Older homes are hit and miss. If you are not sure, we can check when we look at your line.
How does the rebate money actually reach me?
You pay for the installation in full, submit the application with our invoice (it includes every detail EPCOR asks for), and the subsidy, up to $800, is paid to you by cheque from EPCOR / the City of Edmonton. Pre-approval comes first and costs nothing.
Who handles the pre-approval?
EPCOR does, directly with you. We are not affiliated with EPCOR and cannot apply on your behalf, but the process is a straightforward advisor review of your home. Details live at epcor.com and they do change, so check there for the current rules.
Will the install tear up my basement?
Less than you would fear. A basic install opens a small section of floor over the main sewer, and that same section is re-concreted afterward. Homes needing more excavation take more work, and we will tell you plainly which kind yours is before we start.
Does a backwater valve need maintenance?
Very little. It is a passive device with no power and nothing to program. It should stay accessible after install (ours do) so it can be inspected or cleaned if debris ever builds up around the flap.
Ready to stop worrying about the next big rain?
Call us and we will tell you honestly whether your home needs one.
📞 Call or text 780-717-3743