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2020 Water Quality Initiative
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.
Participants must meet the following requirements to participate in the Pipe Check program:
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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)
MJ Construction Inc.
414-760-3320
PipeCheck@mjconstruction.us
6000 N 91st St Milwaukee, WI 53225
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)Lateral Lining
Mr. Rooter
262-320-4822
2524 76th St Franksville, WI 53126
Milwaukee Plumbing & Piping, Inc.
414-257-9000
11800 West Greenfield Ave West Allis, WI 53214
Open Cut Excavation (Full Replacement)Slip Lining (Full Replacement)
Gene Wagner Plumbing Co., Inc.
414-541-9217
2017 S. 60th St Milwaukee, WI 53219
Budiac Plumbing & Heating, Inc
262-242-5573
MMSD@BudiacPlumbing.com
W68 N940 Washington Ave Cedarburg, WI 53012
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.
Thank you for helping protect our waterways!