Exterior Water Service Line Coverage
$7.95/mo
$23.85/qtr
$95.40/yr
There was a soggy spot in Bryon’s yard near his Tennessee home. Unfortunately for him, his damp lawn wasn’t caused by the weather.
“It was the (water service) line coming into the house from the meter,” he said. “It was (leaking) right back where it goes into the house. I don’t know for sure how long it was like that, probably three or four days. It was a one-inch pipe and (water) was just pouring out of there.”
The first thing Bryon did was find and hire a plumber to fix the leak. Although he had to pay for a repair, he thought his problems were safely behind him – until he got a call from his local water utility.
“They called and told me they noticed I had used a lot of water,” he said. “I had already found the leak and had it fixed, so I asked them what the bill was, and it was well over $500. That was a lot.”
Coming on the heels of the recent costly repair and with the holiday season approaching fast, another $500-plus expense would uncomfortably stretch Bryon’s budget. He inquired whether the utility would work with him on the bill.
“I asked her about an adjustment (on the bill), and she said that I had ServLine, and
they do the adjustments,” he said.
“I had seen it on the bill and thought it was the water meter reading charge. I’m glad it wasn’t.”
Bryon was surprised to hear this, and the utility representative explained that the line item on his bill marked “LP” was for the ServLine Leak Protection Program. The program, which is offered through local utilities, helps protect homeowners from large bills caused by plumbing leaks. Once a leak is identified and repaired, ServLine will determine the customer’s average bill over the prior 12 months and pays the overage up to the benefit amount.
“I had seen it on the bill and thought it was the water meter reading charge,” Bryon said. “I’m glad it wasn’t.”
Because Bryon’s utility had partnered with ServLine, all he needed to do was provide the documentation that his water service line had been repaired – in his case, a photo of the repaired line – and ServLine paid his utility more than $580, the amount that exceeded his average bill.
“I’m satisfied, real satisfied,” Bryon said. “I only owe (the utility) $45, the difference between what (ServLine) paid and the bill. There’s things I’d much rather spend that money on – it’s Christmas time.”
Published December 05, 2025