Windsor Heights Save our Sewers (S.O.S.) Program

Do you have sewer problems?  Windsor Heights can help. 

As Windsor Heights ages as a city, so does the city’s infrastructure. It is easy to see street problems as they age, but the sanitary sewer, which can be buried 6 to 18 feet in the ground, seldom gets thought about until a problem arises.

In recent years, it has become apparent that the sanitary sewer in Windsor Heights is in need of more than the routine maintenance it receives annually. With the help of the Windsor Heights-Urbandale Sanitary Sewer District, a sanitary sewer slip lining project will begin in late 2011 and last for several years. This program will work to repair city sewer mains by inserting a sleeve into the sewer line that gets super heated inside the pipe, virtually creating a new pipe inside the old pipe. This seals the pipe, preventing groundwater from getting into the sanitary sewer.

So why worry about storm or groundwater in the sanitary sewer?

As illustrated in the below picture, groundwater gets into the sanitary sewer many different ways. This causes problems during heavy rain periods with sewer water back flowing into properties. By eliminating groundwater infiltration, this problem should be drastically reduced. In addition, the sanitary sewer lines in Windsor Heights are metered, so residents pay for every inch of water in the lines, whether or not it comes from ground or storm water or true sewer water. The city’s engineer estimates that nearly 60% of the groundwater infiltration comes from private residences, while 40% comes from the city’s sewer lines.

The groundwater gets into the sanitary sewer on private property several different ways, including cracks in the sewer lines, sump pumps hooked into the sanitary sewer and perimeter house drains connected to the sanitary sewer.

In an effort to eliminate the groundwater infiltration completely from the Windsor Heights sanitary sewer systems, the city has created the Windsor Heights Save our Sewers Program (S.O.S.) This program is in conjunction with the Neighborhood Finance Corporation, Polk County, Windsor Heights-Urbandale Sanitary Sewer District and the City of Windsor Heights. The purpose of this program is to help private residents fix the infiltration problem into their private sanitary sewer line.

How does the Save our Sewers Program work?

Any homeowner who needs to fix sewer lines is eligible for financial assistance through the Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC). This may include, but is not limited to, the replacement of the sewer line, disconnecting sump pumps from the sanitary sewer lines and disconnecting perimeter home drains from the sanitary sewer lines. A person would apply for a loan through the NFC. They will review the application and supporting documentation to determine eligibility. A portion of the loan, (depending on the size of the project and the income of the property owner) will be forgivable, creating a significant cost savings to the homeowner. To review the NFC funding guidelines and frequently asked questions, please visit www.neighborhoodfinance.org or call 246-0010

As part of the NFC loan, if the homeowner resides in the home for 5 years, the forgivable portion of the loan will be 100% forgiven at the end of the 5th year. If the homeowner chooses to sell the home, a portion or all of the forgivable loan will have to be repaid.

In addition, Windsor Heights City Inspectors must verify that the project is complete and that all groundwater infiltration from the resident’s home has been eliminated.

This funding is very limited and may not be available in future years. Residents are encouraged to inspect their homes to determine if their sewer line is in need of replacement or if a sump pump or perimeter drains are connected to the sanitary sewer. These type of connections are illegal and need tobe fixed.  Again, funding is limited, so please apply as soon as possible.

 For more information about the program, including frequently asked questions, please visit this website.