Keep Out the Rain is a voluntary program to help property owners fix improper plumbing connections that contribute to the overflow of diluted sewage into our environment and sewage backups in homes and businesses. For a limited time, KC Water is partnering with property owners to repair plumbing connections. The only cost to the property owner is their time. Keep Out the Rain is part of Kansas City's largest infrastructure investment, the Smart Sewer program, focused on reducing the volume of sewer overflows from the City’s sewer system. The Smart Sewer program is a multidecade effort to protect public health and our natural environment.

When we experience heavy rain storms, large volumes of rainwater enter Kansas City’s sewer system through improper plumbing connections. This rainwater can overwhelm our sewer system – causing devastating sewage backups in basements and forcing diluted sewage into our neighborhoods, local streams and rivers. Additionally, this rainwater must be treated, driving up the treatment and maintenance costs of our wastewater system.

One way to reduce the amount of rainwater entering our sewer system is to fix improper plumbing connections that allow rainwater to directly enter our city’s sewer system. Keep Out the Rain gives property owners, within the program area, the opportunity to have their plumbing connections evaluated. If an improper connection is identified, and it is cost-effective to correct, the connection will be eligible to be fixed by a licensed, pre-qualified plumber for a limited time while the program is taking place. The only cost to the property owner is their time.  Property owners within the program area will receive information on scheduling an evaluation with KC Water contractors as work begins in their neighborhood.

KC Water is partnering with property owners to evaluate both interior and exterior plumbing connections on homes and commercial buildings within the program area. These evaluations will focus primarily on the following eight sources:

• Roof downspouts
• Sump pumps
• Sump pits with interior foundation drains
• Area & patio drains
• Stairwell entry drains
• Driveway drains
• Broken or uncapped service lateral cleanouts
• Defective service lateral point repairs

To maximize return on investment for all wastewater utility customers, KC Water has identified areas throughout Kansas City where fixing improper plumbing connections will provide a cost-effective solution to reduce our sewer overflow problem.

To find out if your property is eligible, enter your address into our easy to use map application above, and see if your property is located within the program boundary.

The current program boundaries were selected based on where the most cost-effective solutions to reducing Kansas City’s sewer overflow problem could be achieved. It is possible additional areas may be included in the future, based on where the greatest impact can be achieved.

Not at this time. This program is currently focused in areas where the greatest need has been identified for reducing sewer overflows to meet regulatory requirements. The results of work completed in the current program areas are intended to benefit all rate payers by reducing the overall cost of future system improvements needed to meet the regulatory requirements of the Smart Sewer program. Based on the results of the program in the current program areas, and availability of future funds, the City may expand the program to other parts of the city.

KC Water has contracted with three professional firms with expertise in water-utility engineering -- Jacobs Solutions, CDM Smith, and Olsson – to conduct property evaluations. A fourth water-utility engineering firm, TREKK Design Group, provides scheduling and other administrative services.

If a cost-effective fix is identified, the program team will make a selection from a list of licensed, prequalified plumbers to complete the work. Upon request, the property owner may choose another licensed plumber from the list of prequalified plumbers. This may delay repair based on that plumber’s schedule availability.

Rest assured, our program team is committed to protecting your property. Repairs will be made in a way that strives to maintain the existing drainage in and around your home or building.

Plumbing repairs are under warranty for one year from the date the work is completed.

For a limited time, while the program is taking place, Keep Out the Rain gives property owners within the program area the opportunity to have their prohibited connections corrected at no additional cost to them.

In 2015, the Kansas City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the direct connection of downspouts, sump pumps or any other drainage mechanisms to the City’s sewer system. As Kansas City works to enforce this ordinance, it is possible that in the future, the City may assess a monthly wastewater service surcharge to property owners with prohibited connections.

Keep Out the Rain is part of Kansas City's largest infrastructure investment, the Smart Sewer program, focused on reducing the volume of sewer overflows from the City’s sewer system. The Smart Sewer program is a 30-year effort to protect public health and our natural environment. The improvements being made through the Keep Out the Rain program are funded by the wastewater fees collected through monthly water utility bills. A portion of the monthly wastewater charges collected goes toward repairing and maintaining our sewer system.

Through the Keep Out the Rain program, KC Water is identifying and correcting improper connections to our sewer system. Because the wastewater system serving our community is a network that functions as a whole, taking corrective steps in one part of the system leads to benefits across the overall system. Less rainwater in the sewer system reduces operating costs and the need for costly expansion projects, the frequency of devastating basement backups, and pollution entering our neighborhoods and environment.