The City of Guelph, located in southern Ontario, is offering rebates to help property owners decommission unused private water wells and septic systems on residential and agricultural lands in Guelph.
Property owners can apply for rebates that would include $1,500 per private well (to a maximum of two per property) and $15,000 per septic system decommissioned.
“Bacteria, pesticides, and fertilizers can get into our groundwater through unused and unmaintained water wells and septic systems,” said Kristin Pressey, source water protection program coordinator at the City of Guelph. “Decommissioning these wells and septic systems will help further protect Guelph’s drinking water sources.”
Decommissioning wells and septic systems also helps reduce landowner liability by removing the risk of groundwater contamination and the possibility that people or animals could fall into unmaintained structures on their property.
Landowners need to apply for a rebate and wait for approval before work can start. All steps involved in applying for the rebate are outlined on the City of Guelph’s website. The entire process, including on-site decommissioning work, should take about two to four weeks to complete.
Requests for well and septic decommissioning rebates are accepted year-round and approved on a first-come first-serve basis.
More information about the City of Guelph’s private water well and septic decommissioning program is available here.
