ATLANTA -- The City of Atlanta has partnered with a home warranty company to help homeowners insure against water and sewer line damage and repairs.
As many homeowners know, if the water or sewer line breaks between the meter and your home -- you are responsible for repairs.
"The City (of Atlanta) is not responsible for it," said Atlanta City Councilwoman Felicia Moore (9th district). "From your home to the meter is your private property, and it's your private responsibility to pay for the repairs."
But many homeowners are surprised to learn that homeowner's insurance probably doesn't cover repair costs either. "The calls I have gotten from people in tears for having to pay to fix these things on their own, running into bills of $2,000 to $3,000 and even some up to $4,000 in cost," Moore said.
At Moore's urging, the City of Atlanta has teamed up with a home warranty company to help cover repair costs. It will cost $4.50 a month for your water line and another $4.50 a month for the sewer line to pay for repairs up to $4,000.
Some Atlanta homeowners are skeptical while others endorse it.
"It probably would be a good deal I think, if I could trust that they could do it and do it right," said Susan Jones.
"I think it's a really good deal for the older homes in the neighborhood, particularly like this where the homes are 100 plus years old and a lot of the old pipes are still in the ground," said Ansley Park homeowner Ray Grubbs.
If you want the new warranty, there is one glitch to keep in mind. The letter sent to every Atlanta homeowner includes a signup form that does not include an option for sewer pipe coverage. To insure you sign up for both, residents should go to UtilityLineProtection.com.
So far, more than 1,000 Atlanta homeowners have signed on for the new warranty program.