"So while sanitary sewer fees remain flat, we do require in this budget homeowners to install sump pumps if needed and absorb some of that cost at the point of sale," Mayor Cory Mason told the Common Council on Oct. 5, according to Racine County Eye.
Racine has to remove a large amount of rain and groundwater from its sanitary sewers. The voluntary program built for that job has moved slowly. Home sales happen at a steady pace in every part of the city, and each one puts a house in front of an inspector. Proposed Ordinance 0006-26 would use those sales to reach the houses the city needs.
For anyone selling or buying an older Racine home, the issue sits in the basement, at the floor drain.
What the proposal would do at a sale
The ordinance text is in the city's 2027 proposed ordinances document. It would require sump pumps in one- to four-unit housing unless a plumbing inspector confirms the building has no foundation drain connected to the sanitary sewer. It would also tighten the rules against groundwater, roof runoff and other clear water entering the sanitary sewers. It would remove the existing exceptions tied to whether a storm sewer is available and what the work costs.
The sale provision reaches further than the pump requirement. Under the proposal, the transfer of any real property in the city would prompt the wastewater utility to inspect what enters the sanitary sewer. That applies to every property type, including buildings with more than four units. Racine County Eye laid out how that inspection would interact with a closing:
- The ordinance would not stop a sale. It would trigger an inspection.
- If a violation is found, the owner would have 30 days after notice to correct it, with an extension available for good cause.
- The proposal does not require a set payment before a deed is recorded.
- It does not say the city would install a pump at closing.
The proposal would also require a plumbing permit, an inspector's review and an inspection of the finished work. Plans would be needed for any connection to an available storm sewer.
In practice, a sale would become the moment the city finds out whether a house's foundation drain empties into the sanitary sewer. Who handles the fix, and when, would then go into the purchase negotiation alongside every other inspection item.
Why the city chose the sale as the trigger
The scale of the problem explains the choice. WGTD reported that Mason told the council the city needs to reduce clear water entering the system by 56 million gallons a day to comply with state orders. "It's a substantial number that we're responsible for," he said. Under a regional agreement, Racine treats the sewage from all areas of Racine County east of I-94, so the city's treatment plant handles flow from well beyond its own borders.
City officials told WGTD that properly connecting just 600 homes a year to sump pumps would make a big dent in the problem. The voluntary program launched in 2023 is far from that pace. The proposed budget reports more than 100 pumps installed, without saying over what period. It sets a goal of more than 3,000 installations over the next five years, which works out to about 600 a year.
The pump goal and the sewer rates are linked. For 2027, the Committee of the Whole recommended a 0% increase in Class I sewer rates for city residents and a 12.5% increase for Caledonia and Mount Pleasant. Mason's own remark connects the two. Rates stay flat, and part of the cost moves to the owner whose house needs the work, at the point of sale. Collecting from every ratepayer is the other option, and the proposal moves away from it.
Where the vote stands
The public had one formal chance to speak, at the Oct. 14 budget hearing at City Hall. Speakers had to attend in person. Here is what happened in October:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Oct. 5, 2026 | Mason presents the budget and describes the sump pump cost moving to the point of sale |
| Oct. 14, 2026 | Public hearing on the 2027 budget at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave. |
| Oct. 19, 2026 | Committee of the Whole takes up amendments, including Alder Weidner's motion that Ordinances 0006-26 and 0007-26 be considered separately from the budget |
| Oct. 19, 2026 | Amendment 0974-26 proposes an ad hoc sump pump committee with six months to report back |
| Oct. 20, 2026 | Common Council takes final action on the 2027 budget, approved as amended with the sump pump committee included |
The committee amendment was sponsored by Alders Jorgensen, Allen, Kelly, Maack, Frazier, DeMark, Horton, Weiss, Peete, Land and Pabon. It gives the group six months to return with either an entirely different proposal that achieves similar clear-water reductions or recommended changes to the current one. The Council would then vote on those recommendations.
The members represent each part of a sale. The adopted budget language calls for representatives from the South Shore Realtors Association, the Building Development Department, the sump pump program, the wastewater department, Public Works, and plumbers or sump pump installers, plus a Common Council member and a citizen. The Mayor makes the appointments with Council approval.
The ordinance as written is a proposal. The committee could keep the point-of-sale inspection, change it, or replace it with another approach, and the Council has the final vote.
The fitting in the basement that signals a connected drain
According to the City of Racine Sump Pump Program, a home whose foundation drain connects directly to the sanitary sewer usually has a Palmer valve in the basement. A Palmer valve is a check valve, typically tied into the basement floor drain. It lets groundwater and stormwater from the foundation drain flow into the sanitary sewer while keeping wastewater out of the foundation drain. The city notes these valves are common in Wisconsin homes built before 1954.
The city says releasing stormwater and groundwater into the sanitary sewer is no longer permitted. The fix involves removing the Palmer valve and installing a sump pump and crock that send the water to the yard or the storm sewer. At the program's initial inspection, the plumber checks whether the foundation drains can be reached, whether they connect to the sanitary sewer in a way that can be disconnected, and whether there is an acceptable discharge location.
For a pre-1954 house, the Palmer valve is the fitting a point-of-sale rule would be looking for. A seller who knows what's at the floor drain before listing knows what a city inspector would look for if the proposal is adopted in some form.
The money available today
The voluntary program is the funding that exists now. Its terms, from the city's program page:
- The city pays the contractor directly, up to $5,000, after the final inspection. Costs above $5,000 are the owner's responsibility.
- Eligibility is limited to one- and two-family homes, and the property owner must be the applicant.
- The foundation drain must be disconnected from the sanitary sewer to qualify for payment.
- The installer pulling the plumbing permit must be a DSPS-licensed plumber.
- The city does not cover a plumber's down payment or inspection fee.
- Installing a new foundation drain is not reimbursable. Repairs to an existing connected foundation drain are covered within the cap when done with the pump installation.
- Applying and getting a quote does not obligate the owner to go ahead if the estimate is above $5,000.
Applications go through the program's online application, and the program is not mandatory.
The current program and the proposed ordinance don't line up exactly. Mason has called city-paid installation the most cost-efficient way to handle the problem, WGTD reported. The ordinance text says residential owners could apply to the program "if any," as it may be amended. Racine County Eye noted that the ordinance does not guarantee assistance, keep the current $5,000 cap, or extend eligibility to three- and four-unit buildings, even though those buildings would fall under the pump requirement. For an owner of a three- or four-unit building, that gap is the main financial difference between the proposal and the program.
This post is general information about a proposed city ordinance and an existing city program. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, so please confirm how either one applies to your property with a licensed plumber, an attorney or the city's program staff.
Quick answers for Racine owners
Would the proposal block a sale? As written, it would not stop a sale. A transfer would trigger the inspection, and a violation would come with a 30-day correction window that can be extended for good cause.
Does the sale inspection apply only to houses? The pump requirement covers one- to four-unit housing, but the proposed inspection would be triggered by the transfer of any real property in the city.
Is anything required of homeowners today under the voluntary program? The program is voluntary. Applying and getting a quote do not commit the owner to the work.
Will the sump pump guarantee a dry basement? The city's program FAQ says there is no guarantee. A sump pump will not stop water coming through windows or walls, though in most cases it improves drainage near the foundation as long as it stays plugged in and working.
If you own an older Racine home and plan to sell in the next year, the floor drain is now part of pricing and negotiation, whatever the committee recommends. Christine and Tony Veranth can walk through your basement with you, explain how a Palmer valve or a past sump pump installation is likely to come up with buyers, and keep your listing plan on track while the Council's review continues. Request a free consultation and home valuation to get started.
