PIPE CHECK

Do you get water in your basement? Do you find yourself cleaning your sanitary sewer lateral out every year? We can help!

Water in your basement can be caused by rain or groundwater, also known as clear water, overwhelming your sanitary lateral pipe causing sewage and water to back-up in your basement. Sources of clear water include connected downspouts and foundation drains, and defects in your sanitary lateral such as roots. All of these sources increase the likelihood of water backing up into your basement.

The Pipe Check program provides financial incentives to help homeowners eliminate these sources of clear water from your home at a reduced cost!

Many homeowners do not know that they are responsible for the lateral that connects their home to the municipal sewer line. (What is a sanitary sewer lateral?)

Don’t go another year without a back-up plan. If your home is older than 1950, or if you frequently experience water backing up into your basement, it’s time to get your pipe checked.

Pipe Check Requirements

Participants must meet the following requirements to participate in the Pipe Check program:

Property is located within the MMSD service area
Property is a one or two-family home
No income requirement to participate
A site visit is completed by an Approved Contractor
W‐9 is submitted to MMSD. (Note: The value of the financial incentive is taxable. MMSD will provide 1099 at the end of the year.)
Participation waiver must be signed by the homeowner
An Approved Contractor completes all the required work identified in the site visit

Pipe Check Steps

Homeowner contacts an Approved Contractor.
Approved Contractor completes a site visit paid for by the homeowner. Prices vary by contractor.
The contractor identifies the work required to be completed to receive the financial incentives and reviews the scope of work with the homeowner.
If the homeowner agrees to the identified work and their portion of the total costs, the homeowner can choose to sign a contract with the Approved Contractor to have the work completed. The homeowner will be required to fill out a W-9 to participate in the pipe check program as the financial incentive is taxable.
The work is completed to the satisfaction of the homeowner and the requirements of the Pipe Check program.
The Pipe Check program pays the Pipe Check Incentives directly to the Approved Contractor.
The Pipe Check Approved Contractor bills the homeowner the remaining portion of the work.
The homeowner pays the Approved Contractor the remaining amount due.
MMSD will send participating homeowners a 1099 at the end of the calendar year.

Pipe Check Financial Incentives

The financial incentives help homeowners complete critical sanitary sewer system repairs on their property at a reduced cost. They do not cover the full cost of the work. All costs above the value of the provided financial incentive will be the responsibility of the homeowner. The total cost of the work is dependent on the existing conditions within the home, the length of your lateral, and the chosen repair method implemented. Your chosen Approved Contractor will provide you with an estimate for the cost of the work required to be completed under the program prior to signing a contract. Your contractor will share the MMSD financial incentives for which your home qualifies.

The Pipe Check Approved Contractor will complete all documentation required for the program. MMSD will pay the incentives directly to your contractor, which will be deducted from your final bill.

Foundation Drain Disconnection - Install sump pump & discharge piping, disconnect foundation drain from sanitary sewer lateral, and remove existing palmer valve.

$2,000

Remove Palmer Valve, Only - Identify the location of palmer valve, remove existing palmer valve, cap foundation drain, and restore the site.

$350

Reroute Existing Sump Pump Discharge - Disconnect existing sump pump discharge piping and reroute to a building code approved location.

$300

New Storm Lateral, Connected to Existing Storm Sewer - A new storm lateral is installed from the house to an existing storm sewer.

$1,000

Disconnect Downspout - Disconnect existing gutter downspouts from the sanitary sewer and reroute to discharge in the yard or storm lateral (max of 4).

$25 per downspout

Full Lateral Replacement - A full lateral replacement from the house to the sanitary main is completed via open cut or pipe bursting

$5,000 - $7,000

Lateral Lining - A cured in place pipe (CIPP) is installed in the lateral from under the home to the connection at the sanitary sewer mainline.

$1,500

MMSD reserves the right to update the Financial Incentive rates at any time. Last updated: 01/01/2023

Click the drop-down arrows under the following program categories to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there additional funding resources to help cover the remaining cost of the work?

There are several local programs for low-income homeowners that offer partially forgivable and/or zero interest loans to address essential home repairs and code violations. MMSD is not affiliated with these loan programs and does not guarantee loan approval. Please visit the website associated with each loan assistance program to see if you are eligible to participate and learn how to apply as they differ from the Pipe Check program requirements. Participation in these programs does not exclude you from receiving financial incentives through the Pipe Check program.

City of Milwaukee - Strong Homes Loan Program: The STRONG Homes Loan Program offers loans of up to $20,000 to owner-occupants of 1-4 family properties throughout the City of Milwaukee on a first-come, first-served basis. Technical assistance will be provided to homeowners under the program to assist with rehabilitation projects. Learn more.

City of Milwaukee - Compliance Loan Program: The Compliance Loan Program (CLP) assists homeowners throughout the City of Milwaukee in making repairs necessary to fix code violations on their property. CLP does this by providing 0% interest, deferred payment loans. This means homeowners pay no interest and only pay back the loan when selling or transferring the property. Learn more.

Milwaukee County Home Repair Program: Pipe check cannot currently be paired with this home repair loan program. The Housing Division offers no interest loans to income qualified homeowners in the suburban communities of Milwaukee County, excluding the Cities of Milwaukee and West Allis. The loans can cover a wide range of repairs required to maintain a home and can also be used for emergency repairs relating to health and safety and municipal citations. Learn more.

City of West Allis - Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Programs: Pipe check cannot currently be paired with this home repair loan program. Owner-occupied single-family dwellings and duplexes located in West Allis, that meet income limits, are eligible for reduced rate loans of up to $40,000 to assist with housing rehabilitation. Learn more.

Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity - Critical Home Repair Program: Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity offers a Critical Home Repair Loan Program. Available to homeowners who live within one of their current service areas (see maps). Loans are 0% interest and partially forgivable. Check program webpage for full eligibility and participation requirements. Application assistance available by contacting their office. Learn more.

Are there financing options available for the balance of the work not covered by Pipe Check financial incentives?

Some Pipe Check Approved Contractors offer financing options.
Homeowners may ask contractors if they have financing options available when contacting them about a potential Pipe Check project!

Why is a W-9 Required for the Pipe Check Program?

MMSD is a public agency and must report benefits to individual property owners in excess of $600. Therefore, MMSD is required to collect W-9s from all homeowners who participate in the Pipe Check program. MMSD will send the property owner a 1099 at the end of the year. It is the property owner's responsibility to review any implications of participation in the Pipe Check program with a professional tax consultant.

Does the Pipe Check program provide Financial Incentives for Lead Water Service Line Replacement?

The Pipe Check program does not provide funding to remove and replace lead water service lines. However, we highly recommend that homeowners who would like to replace their lead water service line considering replacing their sanitary sewer lateral at the same time. By replacing both the sanitary sewer lateral and the lead water service line at the same time, it provides significant cost savings to the homeowner and avoids excavating the property at two separate times. Please be sure to talk with your Pipe Check Approved Contractor if you are interested in replacing your lead water service line prior to the work starting.

Many of the municipalities in the MMSD Service Area have Lead Water Service Line replacement programs, educational resources, and occasionally financial assistance available, to help homeowners reduce their exposure to lead. If your municipality is not listed below, please reach out to your municipality to see what resources are available to you!

City of Milwaukee – Lead Service Line Replacement Owner Request Option Program

City of Cudahy – Lead in Drinking Water

Village of Menomonee Falls - Lead Water Service Lateral Replacement Program

Village of Shorewood - Lead Service Line Replacement Program

City of St. Francis – Lead Service Line Replacement Program

City of West Allis – Lead and Water

Pipe Check Program Flyer

Información En Español

Questions? Please email our team at PipeCheckInfo@mmsd.com or call us at (414) 225-2250

An Approved Contractor is selected by MMSD through an assessment of their technical skills, experience, and customer service which qualify them to participate in the program. An Approved Contractor must be used by the homeowner to receive the financial incentives. When calling, please let the Approved Contractor know that you would like to participate in the Pipe Check program.

All Approved Contractors are able to perform the following work types: Foundation Drain Disconnection, Downspout Disconnection, Reroute Sump Pump Discharge, Remove Palmer Valve, & New Storm Lateral. The Approved Work Types listed in the table below represent the lateral repair methods that each contractor is approved to use under the Pipe Check program. Please refer to your contractor for guidance on what lateral repair method is best suited for your property.

Contractor	Approved Lateral Repair Methods
Mid City Corporation 262-781-5940 info@midcitycorp.us 12930 W. Custer Ave Butler, WI 53007	Pipe Bursting (Full Replacement) Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
Budiac Plumbing & Heating, Inc 262-242-5573 info@budiacplumbing.com W68 N940 Washington Ave Cedarburg, WI 53012	Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
Heiden Plumbing Company 414-937-8420 1100 W Bruce St Milwaukee, WI 53204	Pipe Bursting (Full Replacement) Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement) Lateral Lining
Gene Wagner Plumbing Co., Inc. 414-541-9217 2017 S. 60th St Milwaukee, WI 53219	Pipe Bursting (Full Replacement) Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
Rozga Plumbing & Heating Corp 414-258-9911 pipecheck@rozgacorp.com 1529 S 113TH ST West Allis, WI 53214	Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
MJ Construction Inc. 414-760-3320 PipeCheck@mjconstruction.us 6000 N 91st St Milwaukee, WI 53225	Pipe Bursting (Full Replacement) Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
Milwaukee Plumbing & Piping, Inc. 414-257-9000 11800 West Greenfield Ave West Allis, WI 53214	Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
Mr. Rooter 262-320-4822 sewicustomer.service@mrrooter.com 2524 76th St Franksville, WI 53126	Pipe Bursting (Full Replacement) Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement) Slip Lining (Full Replacement) Lateral Lining

What is a site visit?

An MMSD-approved contractor will come to your home to identify sources of rain or groundwater entering the sanitary sewer system from the sanitary sewer lateral, which connects your home to the municipal sewer system. The contractor will look at areas both inside and outside your home.

Are you a contractor looking for information on the Pipe Check program? If so, please visit our contractor page.