Milwaukee homeowners have option to buy sewer line protection



MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee homeowners should soon see an offer in their mailbox that gives them the option to buy a warranty protection program for sewer lines. It's being offered by Service Line Warranties of America.

Thursday morning, April 5th, Service Line Warranties of America presented the city of Milwaukee with a $57,000 check.  That payment is being made in good faith -- and the city plans to use it to make some sizable repairs to sewer lines without any use of taxpayer dollars.

Milwaukee homeowners are responsible for the sewer lines that go from their home, to the point of connection with the city-owned main sewer.

Dorie Neal said she remembers the flooding during the summer of 2010. Water was waist high, and her family was forced to evacuate for a week. Neal paid thousands in repairs, including broken laterals, or underground sewer lines. Some of Neal's neighbors couldn't afford the costs, and now there are some empty lots in the neighborhood - homes so devastated by the flooding, they were knocked down.

"It was devastation in the neighborhood. The insurance companies didn't really help out too much because we're stated not to be in a flood plain," Neal said.

The warranty protection offered by Service Line Warranties of America costs either $9.50 a month, or $100 for a full year ($8.33 a month). The protection program will cover sewer line repairs up to $6,000, plus an additional allowance of $4,000 for public street cutting, if needed. The program is being offered at no cost to the City of Milwaukee.

"This is not the total answer to the flood challenges that we have, but it's a step in the right direction. It's still less than what it would take to replace a collapsed lateral," Milwaukee Common Council President Willie Hines said.

The program includes a 24-hour repair hotline, and the use of local, certified technicians.

Service Line Warranties of America has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

You can apply for the optional insurance coverage three ways. You can call Service Line Warranties of America at 1-877-475-1641. You can also sign up at its website www.slwofa.com or you can respond by mail through the City of Milwaukee.

FOX6 News has received calls from viewers asking if this is a scam, but this is a legitimate program and the letter will feature the city of Milwaukee's letterhead, along with the company's letterhead.