City extends sewer and water line warranty program

The City of Ottawa has extended its sewer and water line warranty program for the next five years. 

In a memo to council, a director with the Infrastructure and Water Services Department (SLWC), Scott Laberge, says given its “uptake and success to date,” the city will continue to offer the program with some 'enhancements' being made. 

The program, which is offered by Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC) and endorsed by the city, offers homeowners voluntary protection plans to help cover the cost of repair work for their portion of water service and/or sewer/septic lines, including the stormwater sewer service line. The city says the aim is to address ongoing issues related to the private portion of water and sewer services, including “unpredictable failure, lack of homeowner awareness, and high cost of repair.”

While initial communications from SLWC to Ottawa residents raised some concerns, the memo goes on to say that resident participation has shown there is interest in the program and its services and staff has been working to ensure resident concerns are addressed moving forward. 

Laberge says city staff have reviewed the program and outlined the following:

• a) City of Ottawa logo use: The SLWC Program report was approved by Council (five years) prior to the launch of the program. It contained information on the use of the City's logo. The letter was also sent from SLWC without cobranding (only the City logo was used) creating confusion on legitimacy of the program. Moving forward, letters will be cobranded, including the SLWC logo to be more prominent and ahead of the City of Ottawa logo. Communications on the City's public social media platforms will be shared prior to any future mailouts by SLWC. This will advise residents to expect a letter and confirm the legitimacy of the Program. City Councillors will also be informed prior to any future mailouts and, as directed by Council, provided with at least 10 business days to review and comment on any future program communications. Councillors may choose to include content on their websites, newsletters and social media accounts. Letters to residents To / Destinataire Mayor and Members of Council From / Expéditeur Scott Laberge Director, Technology, Innovation & Engineering Support Services Infrastructure & Water Services Department Subject / Objet Service Line Warranties Canada Program Date: April 20, 2022 2 have been revised by SLWC and the City to provide more clarity about the voluntary nature of the program and to confirm the limits of the City's involvement. 
• b) Clarification on mail sent to addresses where the warranty program is not an option (i.e., multi-residential property): SLWC purchased its property records through a thirdparty provider. Although these records are accessible through public information, there were inaccuracies in the information resulting in some ineligible residents receiving letters, creating confusion. Moving forward, updates to the City's website will be made regarding any future SLWC letters. This will include clear information regarding how to get removed from the mailing list and SLWC will continue to work towards improving their mailing list.
• c) Confusion regarding messaging in the letter where residents may perceive undue obligation: While there was no intention to create a perception of obligation, based on the language in the letter, some residents indicated that they felt obligated to reply. Moving forward, language will be changed in mail-outs and will not include a “Please reply” or deadlines of any sort for providing a response. 
• d) An overview of options available to residents should Council not wish to partner with a private service warranty company to mitigate the risk of private water/sewer service failures: Staff are not currently aware of any other existing water or sewer line warranty programs. In November 2021, staff conducted an environmental scan to explore other available options, none of which were found. Some insurance companies may offer coverage for private services; however, insurance policies typically cover damage to personal property caused by water/sewer service failures and not the repair of the services themselves. Without a program such as the one offered by SLWC, any repairs and their associated costs are the sole responsibility of the homeowner. 
• e) Evaluating strategies for briefing and engaging Members of Council in advance: Minimal consultation was undertaken with Members of Council prior to the launch of the program due to external factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the overall timing of the program launch. Moving forward, as directed by Councillor King on May 17, 2021, an amendment has been made to the City's technical briefing guidelines to indicate that citywide programs involving a third-party are required to engage Council through a technical briefing. Specific to the SLWC Program, future mailouts will take place through a targeted, phased approach one area at a time, rather than being distributed city-wide. This will allow staff to address any new issues that may arise for subsequent mailouts. Councillors will also have an opportunity to meet with the Program team and review any future communication at least 10 business days prior to distribution. 

Ottawa is among 62 Canadian municipalities that endorse the SLWC program, and since its initial launch, 8,459 policies have been purchased by 4,002 Ottawa residents. As of April 4, 2022, the city says 202 repairs have been made through the program, at a cost of $286,586.