Lateral Restoration Financial Assistance Program
Property owners own sewer laterals from their home to the City sewer main, which is located in the middle of the street.
Repairing sewer laterals is expensive, especially when the sewer pipe repair is located under pavement. Property owners have to pay to patch streets with sewer pipe repairs. The Sewer Lateral Financial Assistance Restoration Program is applicable when the street is considered to be an arterial (street with high traffic volumes) or the street is in good condition and has a high pavement rating (greater than 6 out of 10).
These City streets, in addition to being patched for the repair, also require a 50-foot wide mill and overlay asphalt pavement patch. This program will cover and complete the 50-foot-wide mill and overlay portion of the project using a separate paving contractor under contract with the City.
Eligibility
Single and two family homes only. If the homeowner’s contractor has indicated that a 50 foot wide asphalt mill and overlay will be required with the sewer lateral repair and the homeowner insurance policy or service line warranty insurance policy will not pay for the repair work with the claim.
How to Apply
Contact Mark Moder, mmoder@cityofmadison.com, 608-261-9250
Contact Elia Acosta, eacosta@cityofmadison.com, 608-266-4096
Service Line Insurance
The Sewer Utility recommends customers consider adding service line protection to their homeowner’s insurance policy, especially if your home was built prior to 1980. These homes typically have sewer laterals, or pipes, that are made of clay or cast iron, which fail over time. Clay laterals are made out of the same material that a clay flower pot is made out of, so the material breaks easily and has problems with roots penetrating the joints. Clay laterals have joints every 2-3 feet. Cast iron laterals have problems with corrosion.
Service line warranty protection can be added to home owner’s insurance policy at low cost and the coverage limits range from $10,000-$20,000. The Sewer Utility does not recommend this coverage for newer homes. Newer homes have laterals made out of PVC, which is less prone to breaks or problems during your tenure as the homeowner. There are also insurance providers that provide service line warranty protection as a standalone policy.