Water or Sewer Line Replacement or Repair Can Be a Hidden Cost

More than 40 percent of your community’s residents don’t know they’re responsible for their water and sewer service lines and will turn to municipal or utility representatives when there is an issue with their lines.

In a survey, 18 percent of homeowners didn’t know who was responsible for maintaining the service lines, while 11 percent thought their homeowner’s insurance would cover the repair expense and 13 percent believed the utility or municipality was responsible.

The average water service line replacement can range from $1,500 to $5,000, while a water line repair could range from $500 to $1,000. The average sewer line replacement costs from $3,000 to $12,000,  with the average cost of a sewer line repair ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, depending on the damage. A water or sewer line replacement or repair is an expensive proposition, particularly when the expense is unexpected because the homeowner is not aware of their responsibility. Despite this potential expense, one in five homeowners can’t afford to have funds set aside for emergency repairs.

Homeowner’s insurance will not pick up the tab for a water or sewer line repair, unless the homeowner specifically requests and purchases a policy that includes water or sewer service line repair – and that policy may carry deductibles or require a homeowner to pay for a repair upfront and be reimbursed later. In fact, most everyday wear-and-tear of the overall plumbing system in their homes isn’t covered.

Situations like these can be avoided if your residents are made aware of the cost of water or sewer line replacement and encouraged to prepare themselves against a potential economic shock. An overwhelming majority of homeowners – 88 percent – want their municipality to educate them about their service line responsibilities.

The NLC Service Line Warranty Program partners with municipalities to provide educational materials for residents and access to an optional and affordable service line warranty. Residents who opt in have access to our 24-hour home repair hotline and our network of thoroughly vetted, licensed and local contractors. There are no pre-inspections, deductibles, service fees or service call limits. The Program pays contractors directly, and your residents won’t need to pay for repairs upfront and wait weeks for reimbursement.

For more information on educating and protecting homeowners, download our eBook.