Program description below provided by National League of Cities Service Line Program: 

The National League of Cities Service Line Program is an educational program. The program cost your City nothing, it uses no city tax dollars. The program is a voluntary and optional program for your city and residents.

The program is a partnership with your City to help educate your residents. The program is communicated to all residents through a letter to help educate them on the current issue of aging water and sewer infrastructure facing our nation. We help them understand that locally the City maintains the water and sewer system within your right of way through its budget. We help them understand that there is a portion of the water and sewer system beyond the Cities responsibility that they as property owners are responsible for themselves. We help each resident understand that the current public policy of the City is those water lines beyond the water meter leading to their house are their property and their responsibility. The sewer line from their house to the tap on the sewer main is also theirs and their responsibility. The program’s goal is to help explain to residents today, on a good day when they do not have a water issue what the answer will be in the future if they contact the City for a water or sewer line issue which is beyond the Cities responsibility. If those residents need help with a portion of the system on their side we let them know there is a safety net program available from the National League of Cities Service Line Program for all residents. The program is voluntary and optional for all residents, with no requirement for any resident to participate. who voluntarily wish to participate in. They can use the program for as long as they wish and cancel it at anytime.

The information we share helps residents understand the issue of aging infrastructure and helps them realize the limits of the Cities responsibility and where their responsibility begins. We help them realize they need to plan ahead and be prepared financially for these issues. We help them understand these repairs can range from $2,000 to $8,000.

By getting ahead with this discussion before calls come into the City by residents who already have a problem and expecting the City to take care of repairs we avoid the emotionally intense calls and intense face to face confrontations with staff and Council members. We help demonstrate to residents that we are thinking of them and our duty to the City by thinking ahead and preparing them for this issue now. This program not only informs the residents it gives those City elected officials and staff the opportunity to point out the City has made the information available before the issue occurred so that those residents can make a choice on how they want to be prepared before the issue happens. It shows the City is looking out for the residents and voters and giving them the information and options when the City cannot make the choice for them. It lets residents know now what the public policy of the City is concerning water and sewer lateral responsibility before they call with an emergency.

For any resident who needs additional help with a water or sewer line issue the program offers a safety net solution which is voluntary and optional to participate in. For those residents who decide to participate in the program it is a month to month program so they can use the program for as little as 1 month or as long as they wish to when they are concerned about a service line issue happening. They can cancel the program at any time. When they do sign up for the program there is a 30 day waiting period before the program goes into effect.

For those residents who voluntarily choose what they need help with, the Water line program is $6.49 per month. The Sewer Line program is $8.49 per month. The in home plumbing program is $9.99 per month. All of the separate programs can be used exclusively or combined depending on what the resident needs. No resident is required to choose to participate and there is no required number of residents that need to participate in the program for the program to be offered to your City.

The program also creates a new stream of non-tax revenue to assist the City with offering water bill forgiveness without using City tax dollars.

The NLC program has many partner Cities nearby in Georgia that you can reach out to for feedback on the program benefits and success in their Cities.

This program has been part of the National League of Cities public policy programs for the past 11 years. There are now over 1,000 municipalities that participate in this NLC enterprise program across the Nation.

What is necessary for your City to make this program available for your residents is a Council agenda presentation, approval of the resolution and signing of the agreement for us to communicate the program to your residents. We communicate and manage the program for your residents at no cost to the City, using no City tax dollars as a voluntary and optional program available for all residents. We handle all mailings, all communication of the program, all billing, and all other aspects of the program. The City always has prior approval of all information we share before it is communicated to your residents.