Written By JULIA LLOYD

Shelburne residents will be able to save money courtesy of a new partnership with Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC). 

As of Mon. June 24, the Town of Shelburne decided to move forward with a municipal partnership program with SLCW. The warranties offered cover external sewer line, external water lines and septic/well systems. 

The repair or replacement of service lines is not usually covered under the standard homeowners insurance policy and can be very expensive, according to sales manager Elise Dostal. 

The program has a 97 per cent customer approval rating in Ontario and is partnered with 43 Ontario municipalities. 

The municipality must endorse Service Line Warranties of Canada, in partnership with Local Authority Services (LAS) but no direct involvement is needed; the warranty program recruits local contractors. 

The coverage for water lines would be available for $5.33/month, which brings with it up to $8,000 worth of coverage per incident. 

In Southern Ontario the annual amount for warranty on both the external sewer and water lines cost a total of $134.75 annually. 

The program will be available to all residents but is 100 per cent optional. It is not offered for commercial properties, only single-family homeowners and rental homeowners.

Some of the reasons these lines fail are because of things like root intrusion, rusting/rotting, clogs, leaks and frozen pipes. Left unattended, the leaking, clogged or broken septic line may pose a public health hazard, damage personal property and the homes foundation 

If your sewer/septic line needs to be repaired, a call to SLWC toll-free number to speak with an agent and will have a local, licensed, plumbing professional dispatched to the residence to make the repair within 24 hours. 

Councillor Walter Benotto found out about the program in Ottawa 2018 and brought the idea to council leading to a partnership with the town.