FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield residents may have received a letter from American Water Resources (AWC) of Missouri, informing them of their sewer service line maintenance responsibility. The letters offers an insurance product called "The Sewer Line Protection Program," that, if purchased, will provide coverage for private sewer lateral repair.
While it is true that property owners are responsible for the proper functioning of the private sewer lateral, the City of Springfield is not requiring citizens to purchase a private lateral insurance policy.
Citizens may have heard about the City's Private Sewer Repair Program.
This City program provides free plumbing evaluations and no-cost repairs to fix improper connections to the City’s sanitary sewer system. The goal of the Private Sewer Repair Program is to prevent rainwater from entering and overwhelming the City’s sewer system, causing sewage to back up into homes and enter streams and lakes. The Private Sewer Repair Project is not in any way related to AWC's "Sewer Line Protection Program."
The City has sent multiple letters to American Resources of Missouri asking the company to make it clear in its letter to Springfield citizens that its insurance product is not a City-sponsored program and has nothing to do with work performed as part of the Private Sewer Repair Program.
"We have sent a communication to American Water Resources of Missouri telling them that the City does not want them to include any reference or innuendo that the City of Springfield is partnering, approving or condoning the sale of the private lateral insurance product," says Steve Meyer, City of Springfield Environmental Services director.
For more information, contact: Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, 417-864-1009 (office) | 417-380-3352 (cell), [email protected]