2015-09-22_PWETC_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Culver noted that permit records would not include the number of property owners having their sewer lines jetted to clear roots or clogs, as no permit is required; as well as records not always available for thawing lines, with permits only needed if replacing those lines. While clarifying that the value of average sanitary sewer repairs is not shown on permits retained by the City, Mr. Culver advised that the $5,000 average shown above is what he had researched with local contractors performing that work, and would vary by contractor and how significant the repair work required. Mr. Culver noted that typically a property owner is not proactive with this type of situation until an emergency occurs and usually at a higher cost and creating more inconvenience versus the more cost-effective benefit of addressing potential or ongoing minor issues before they occur. Acting Chair Wozniak suggested that if he thought there was a problem with his sanitary sewer lateral service line, the first step would be to televise it to determine the nature of the problem; and asked how access to the line would be achieved. Mr. Culver advised that all homes or structures with a sewer line connection had a cleanout access point, which may be located in various spots depending on its age and type of construction (e.g. main stacks in multi -story homes connecting floor drains in the basement) and providing a clean out point. At the further request of Member Wozniak, Mr. Culver confirmed that the televising and lining usually fell within that previously quoted price of $100/linear foot, and would be a beneficial investigative issue for property owners similar to diagnostics performed for vehicle problems and repairs, and depending on the contractor or mechanic's policy may or may not be applied to the cost of repair. Mr. Culver displayed a warranty program he had found on the Internet through the National League of Cities entitled Utility Service Partners, a national private company offering this specific and specialized type of insurance coverage in partnership with cities as an option for residential property owners within their municipal jurisdiction. Mr. Culver admitted he had been skeptical when first finding this option online, but noted it sounded interesting based on the promotional materials he'd received after contacting the firm. Mr. Culver advised that a representative of the firm had offered to attend afuture PWETC meeting to provide more information on their services. From his initial contact, Mr. Culver advised that their coverage appears to provide protection for homeowners via a monthly premium to repair protection for leaking, clogged or broken water and sewer lines form the point of utility connection to the home's exterior. Mr. Culver reported that this coverage included: • Educating homeowners about their service line responsibilities • Up to $4,000 coverage per repair incident — with no apparent annual cap • Additional allowance for public street and sidewalk cutting • No annual or lifetime limits • No deductibles, service fees, forms or paperwork Page 5 of 13