Service Line Protection Program

The City of Temple has partnered with Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) solely for the purpose of providing Temple residents with competitive monthly fees on available warranty services.  The City of Temple has no responsibility or liability for the warranty program provided by SLWA,  and does not receive any portion of the premiums paid, and no public funds are used to promote or administer the program. Importantly, it is solely the residents’ decision whether to sign up for a SLWA service plan, and it is completely optional. Questions concerning the warranty program should be directed to SLWA.

The National League of Cities (NLC) has recognized and endorsed SLWA as the nation's largest and most trusted source of utility line plans. An objective of the SLWA program is education because many residents are not aware that buried water and sewer lines on their property are their responsibility to maintain. A broken or blocked service line on the property can cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace and many times residents are unprepared for this unexpected expense. The City’s program with SLWA not only works to educate the residents but also provides a solution for residents that is entirely optional.

Each year, SLWA, together with its parent HomeServe, performs tens of thousands of water and sewer service line repairs for customers nationwide. It is very difficult to determine when a pipe may fail, with key contributors being the type of piping material, age of the service pipe, soil conditions and installation quality. Water line repairs can be costly – a replacement averages $2,500 nationally. With the modest cost of SLWA’s service plan, homeowners would still see financial benefit if the service line didn’t break for another few decades – versus saving the monthly fee at current rates.

Typically, no. Most homeowners are surprised to learn that they are responsible for the repair and replacement of broken or leaking utility lines if they are on their property. While most basic homeowners policies will pay to repair the damage created by failed utility lines, they typically do not cover the cost of the repair of the line itself. SLWA encourages residents to call their insurance company to determine actual coverage.

The  City of Temple’s agreement with SLWA allows the company to use the City’s logo in communications to indicate that there is a formal relationship in place and to let residents know that the offering is legitimate, it is for the residents benefit and has the approval of the City. All of the mailings SLWA sends to City of Temple residents are first reviewed and approved by the City prior to use.

SLWA is committed to transparency in all of its communications. All SLWA materials clearly state that the services the company offers are voluntary and that they are offered by SLWA, a private company that is separate from the city.

It is not a new idea for the public and private sectors to work together; it is about bringing City of Temple residents a solution to a real problem facing homeowners around the country. SLWA brings the best of the private sector, including efficiency and expertise, to relieve the burden on homeowners facing expensive repairs. At the same time, SLWA supports communities by helping us, as local decision-makers, tackle the problem of making sure all of our community’s water and sewer infrastructure is maintained. It is good practice to bring together the best of what public and private entities have to offer.