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From YouTube: City Council, Energy Authority Launch Water and Sewer Line Protection Program 10-30-2018
Description
Philadelphia City Council, the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA), and the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) will announce details of a new program to protect Philadelphia homeowners from costly water and sewer service line repairs. The program is also projected to save the PWD energy and delivery costs associated with leaky service lines, helping to keep rates for all customers low.
In attendance:
Councilmember Derek S. Green (At-Large)
Councilmember Brian J. O’Neill (10th District)
Councilmember Cherelle Parker (9th District)
Councilmember Blondell Reynolds Brown (At-Large)
Commissioner Debra McCarty, Philadelphia Water Department
Eric Palm, President, American Water Resources
Emily Shapira, Executive Director, Phila. Energy Authority
More info: http://phlcouncil.com/city-council-philadelphia-energy-authority-launch-water-sewer-line-protection-program/
A
Excellent
well
thanks
everyone
for
bearing
with
us
good
morning
my
name
is
Emily
Shapira
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority
pa,
was
created
eight
years
ago
to
support
the
city
on
energy,
affordability
and
sustainability.
Two
years
ago,
with
leadership
of
council
president
Darrell
Clarke,
we
launched
the
Philadelphia
energy
campaign,
a
1
billion
dollar
10-year
investment
in
energy
efficiency
and
clean
energy
projects
for
city
buildings,
schools,
affordable
housing
and
small
businesses
will
create
10,000
jobs
through
this
initiative
in
year,
one
the
campaign
helped
launch
53
million
dollars
in
projects
creating
225
jobs.
A
A
This
program
is
a
win
for
consumers
for
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
the
Philadelphia
water
department,
because
it
will
save
them
energy
as
well,
which
is
what
we're
here
to
do
and
for
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority.
Let
me
explain
how
first
this
program
is
a
win
for
consumers,
because
it
provides
unlimited
protection
for
repair
or
replacement
of
leaky
or
broken
water
and
sewer
service
lines
for
an
affordable
monthly
fee.
These
are
the
lines
that
run
from
your
home
to
the
main
and
many
homeowners
don't
realize
a
that.
A
They
are
responsible
for
those
lines,
not
the
water
department
and
be
that
homeowners
insurance
typically
does
not
cover
them.
It's
often
not
until
sewage
is
backing
up
into
your
basement,
or
you
get
a
notice
of
defect
from
the
water
department
that
homeowners
become
aware
of
a
problem.
Repair
or
replacement
can
cost
thousands
of
dollars.
This
program
uses
our
city's
group
buying
power
to
reduce
the
monthly
fee
and
negotiate
excellent
coverage
and
service
with
our
vendor.
A
American
Water
Resources
awr
was
selected
through
a
competitive
public
procurement
process,
and
we
are
confident
that
there'll
be
a
fantastic
partner
for
this
program.
Second,
this
program
is
also
a
win
for
the
Philadelphia
water
department
and
we're
very
pleased
that
Deborah
McCarty,
the
Commissioner
of
PWD,
is
able
to
join
us
today.
Pwd
use
loses
a
significant
percentage
of
pumped
and
treated
pre-revenue
water.
So
be
the
meter
through
leaky
service
lines.
These
defects
are
hard
to
identify
it,
since
homeowners
are
typically
looking
for
them
until
something
goes
wrong.
A
In
looking
at
the
data
from
other
cities
with
similar
programs,
we
found
that
this
program
speeds
up
the
pace
of
repair
and
replacement
to
those
leaky
lines
significantly
in
turn,
that's
less
wasted
water
pumped
and
treated
which
could
save
PWD
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars
in
energy
costs
each
year,
not
to
mention
the
water
conservation,
we're
very
grateful
for
the
support
and
collaboration
of
the
water
department
on
this
program,
so
I've
shared
so
far.
This
programs
a
win
for
consumers,
a
win
for
the
city
and
for
PWD.
A
It's
also
a
win
for
us
here
at
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority.
This
program
will
help
fund
initiatives
that
advance
the
energy
campaign
and
though
it's
available
to
all
homeowners
in
Philadelphia,
the
proceeds
will
help
support
PA
programs
that
serve
low
and
moderate
income
residents,
reduce
our
carbon
footprint
and
provide
many
other
benefits
to
the
city.
A
Homeowners
should
expect
to
receive
a
postcard
in
the
next
day
or
so
notifying
them
of
the
program
and
a
letter
from
your
council
person
next
week
with
program.
Details
will
also
hear
today
from
Deb
McCarty
PWD,
commissioner
and
Eric
palm
president
of
American
Water
Resources.
Thank
you
all
so
much
for
being
here
and
so
with
that
I
will
hand
it
off
to
councilman
green
thanks.
So
much.
B
Thank
You
Emily,
oh,
this
is
a
great
morning
and
I'm
glad
that
I'm
here
with
my
council
colleagues,
councilman
Dom
councillor
Brian
O'neill
and
Councilman
Blondell
wellness
Brown,
who
was
a
chair
of
the
Council
Committee
on
the
environment.
This
is
the
continuation
of
the
leadership
that
our
council
president
had
in
helping
to
create
a
foot
of
Energy
Authority.
So
this
is
a
true
partnership
between
the
Energy
Authority,
the
water
department
and
then
they've
been
in
that
we
selected
American
water
to
really
provide
an
opportunity
to
residents
in
our
city.
B
Now,
some
years
ago,
when
I
had
a
little
bit
more
hair,
that's
true
working
of
the
staff
member
councilman
Marion
Tasco.
We
have
some
constituents
on
kirpa
Street
who
had
this
issue
of
their
water
main
being
a
problem,
and
so
that's
when
I
really
learned
about
this
issue,
the
challenges
that
homeowners
may
have
especially
of
homes-
and
we
have
a
very
old
or
seasoned
city,
as
my
father
would
say.
So
we
have
a
number
of
homes
are
very
old,
and
so
these
water
line
issues
can
become
a
major
problem.
Flash
forward.
B
A
few
years
later,
I
became
active
in
the
National
League
of
Cities
and
learned
about
this
water
and
sewer
line
program
in
other
seas
around
the
nation
to
international
ago
cities.
So,
based
on
that
work
and
learning
about
the
program,
I
thought
this
will
be
a
good
opportunity
to
bring
this
concept
to
the
city
of
Philadelphia
to
really
give
some
protections
to
our
homeowners,
so
that
way,
they'll
be
able
to
be
protected
from
high
and
very
costly
projects
that
impact
their
water
and
sewer
line.
B
In
addition,
this
program
provides
an
opportunity
to
use
local
contractors
and
provides
the
ability
to
provide
resources
back
into
our
community
while
at
the
same
time
really
helping
to
protect
homeowners
from
some
of
the
challenges
they
may
have
in
utility
repairs.
So
I'm
glad
to
see
this
program
has
come
to
fruition.
B
Thing
is
a
true
public/private
partnership
between
city
council
and
pushing
this
idea,
as
well
as
the
Kennedy
administration,
I'll,
fill
out
the
water
department
and
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority,
and
also
American
water,
to
really
provide
an
opportunity
to
protect
our
property
owners
from
very
high
repairs,
especially
when
we
have
a
number
of
homeowners.
We're
dealing
with
challenges
of
poverty
and
fixed
income,
so
I'm
glad
to
be
here.
B
C
Thank
you
very
much
and
good
morning
and
welcome
and
councilman
green.
Thank
you
for
bringing
this
idea
for
it's
a
great
idea.
I
also
want
to
thank
Emily
Shapiro,
the
executive
director
of
the
fill
of
your
energy
authority,
Susan's
story,
the
CEO
of
American
Water,
Erick
palm
the
president
of
American
water
and
all
my
council
colleagues,
including
council,
president
Clark,
for
your
work
on
this
important
program
for
all
full,
healthy
homeowners.
You
know
the
largest
and
most
worthwhile
investment
a
person
can
make
is
owning
a
home,
in
fact,
there's
a
slogan
in
real
estate.
C
It
goes
like
this
when
you
rent
it's
a
house
when
you
buy
it's
a
home
as
city
leaders,
we
need
to
keep
homeownership
affordable
for
all
citizens,
and
it
starts
with
programs
such
as
this
water
and
sewer
line
insurance
program.
By
the
way,
the
inventory
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
is
the
oldest
in
the
country,
I
believe
it's
an
average
of
88
years,
belfie
War
Department
services,
470
thousand
residents,
who
are
responsible
for
the
cost
of
their
water
and
sewer
line,
repairs
of
those
four
hundred
and
seventy
thousand
customers.
C
Forty-Nine
hundred
received
notices
of
defect
to
which
the
resident
must
cover
the
costs.
With
this
program
and
a
small
monthly
fee
of
about
$8
per
month,
though
fee
homeowners
will
now
have
a
peace
of
mind
that
if
a
water
and
sewer
line
crisis
occurs,
they
will
not
be
financially
burdened.
The
optional
program
could
not
have
come
at
a
better
time
in
our
city,
as
our
infrastructure
continues
to
age.
C
We
need
to
safeguard
our
citizens,
their
homes
and
their
financial
health
once
it
going
to
want
to
thank
belfie,
Energy,
Authority
and
American
Water
Resources
and
Commissioner
McCarty,
and
the
filthy
water
department
for
coming
together
to
create
this
program.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
constituents
to
enroll
in
this
very
worthwhile
program.
Thank
you.
D
Thank
You
and
Amelie
the
water
department
was
happy
to
provide
support
for
the
development
of
the
proposal,
which
is
honored
in
this
service
line
protection
program.
Residential
property
owners
are
often
challenged
by
the
process
and
the
costs
to
repair
a
broken
water
service
or
sewer
lateral,
offering
property
owners
an
affordable
method
to
maintain
and
keep
their
services
in
good
repair
is
a
win-win
for
our
customers
and
for
our
utility.
D
D
Thousands
of
customers
have
taken
advantage
of
help,
but
we
were
also
hearing
from
customers
the
desire
for
a
protective
or
proactive
protection
program
that
was
affordable
and
we
give
property
owners
the
peace
of
mind
that,
when
a
problem
occurred
with
their
outside
plumbing
immediate
prepaid,
assistance
was
only
a
phone
call
away.
We
look
forward
to
our
continuing
partnership
with
peña
and
the
success
of
this
program.
Thank
you.
E
I
am
proud
and
want
to
thank
councilman,
Derek
green
for
taking
the
lead
and
moving
this
forward
to
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority
and
American
Water
Resources
for
stepping
up
to
the
plate
to
make
this
affordable
option
available
to
fill
it
up.
Your
homeowners
I
also
want
to
thank
Councilwoman,
Blondell,
Reynolds
Brown
for
being
a
tireless
advocate
for
sustainability
and
for
the
environment.
For
those
of
you
who
know
councilman,
Derek,
green
and
I
had
the
distinct
honor
of
serving
residents
at
a
knife
council
matter
district.
E
For
many
years
we
learned
the
challenge
that
an
aging
infrastructure
can
pose
to
a
home
owner
when
they
have
this
bill,
and
we
would
have
we.
The
city
would
come
out
to
assess
this
problem
and
for
us
it
was
the
1800
block
of
Penfield
Street
and
West
Oak
Lane,
and
it
was
at
one
home
or
two
or
two
houses.
It
was
an
entire
block,
which
was
only
the
result
of
the
aging
infrastructure.
E
We
know
your
phone
lines
are
about
to
start
ringing
off
the
hook
once
home
owners
find
out
about
this
protection
program
and
I
know
all
of
my
colleagues
and
I
we're
gonna
do
our
best
to
make
sure
your
phone
lines
start
jumping,
because
we're
going
to
start
email
and
tweeting
and
canvassing
and
doing
all
that
we
can
to
alert
Philadelphians
about
this
great
new
resource.
Thank
you
all.
So
very
much.
F
Good
morning,
good
morning,
good
morning,
hello,
this
is
a
big
day
for
homeowners
in
our
city
and
it's
another
home
run
that
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority
has
put
forth,
and
it
puts
us
one
step
closer
to
the
vision
and
the
dream
that
president
dark
our
cast.
So
what
a
pleasure
it
is
to
be
invited
back,
Thank,
You,
Emily
and
Nancy,
and
all
of
you
she
rose
and
he
rose
over
there.
The
Philadelphia
Energy
Authority
kudos
for
the
partnership
between
the
falafels
Energy
Authority,
the
water
department
for
joining
and
linking
with
the
American
Water
Resources.
F
We
appreciate
partnerships
that
matter
and
make
a
difference
in
the
lives
of
citizens,
as
has
already
been
stated
to
many
of
our
foil
off
your
home
owners
are
not
aware
or
not
aware
that
they
are
responsible
for
the
maintenance
and
repair
of
water
and
sewage
lines
too.
Many
of
our
homeowners
are
not
aware
that
problems
with
the
water
and
sewer
lines
are
not
covered
by
traditional
homeowners.
Insurance
I
would
be
one
of
them.
F
Let
me
repeat
that
most
home
owners
are
not
aware
that
problems
associated
with
their
water
and
sewage
lines
are
not
covered
by
traditional
homeowners
insurance.
These
kind
of
repairs,
which
affect
nearly
5,000
homeowners
in
our
city,
leave
us
with
thousands
and
thousands
of
dollars
of
bills
to
fix
it
with
over
17
years,
providing
home
protection
against
programs
to
1.8
million
customers
across
the
city.
Our
new
partner,
the
American
Water
Resources,
is
well
equipped
quite
seasoned
extremely
experienced
in
this
area.
So
we
want
to
thank
the
leadership
very,
very,
very,
very
much.
F
Thank
you
to
the
partnership.
I'm
also
pleased
to
learn
that
American
Water
Resources
is
committed
to
hiring
local
MVE
WBE
talent,
as
councilman
Green
has
already
stipulated
that
matters
in
partnerships
like
this.
It
goes
a
mighty
long
way
as
what
the
largest
top
ten
city
in
the
country,
with
the
largest
poverty
rate,
any
effort
we
can
do
to
deepen
and
throw
the
net
to
put
more
people
to
work.
It
really
really
does
make
a
difference
so
to
the
leadership.
F
We
thank
you
for
your
commitment
to
this
important
requirement
for
us
here
in
City
Council
as
Councilwoman.
This
Jarell
Park,
has
already
indicated
now
is
on
all
of
us
to
encourage
insist,
demand
that
home
owners
visit
a
WR
usa.com,
a
WR
usa.com,
to
learn
more
about
this
and
to
sign
up.
We
thank
the
partnership
for
arming
our
homeowners
with
another
tool,
further
protecting
our
water
and
sewage
lines
and
their
in
turn
protecting
our
citizens
and
homeowners.
F
In
closing,
there
can
be
no
question
about
whether
we
should
or
should
not
transform
our
city
and
our
society
towards
the
direction
of
sustainability's
partnership
like
this
symbolize
that
we're
headed
in
the
right
direction,
again
kudos
to
all
the
partners
and
hats
off
to
president
Clark,
who
had
this
vision
48
months
ago.
Thank
you.
A
G
This
dis
for
me
goes
back
to
about
25
years
ago,
the
council
chamber
was
filled
on
two
consecutive
evenings
on
this
issue
on
a
hearing
that
brought
the
mayor
into
it.
The
chief
of
staff
David
Cohen,
now
with
Comcast,
and
it
was
over
two
issues.
One
was
cross,
laterals
I,
learned
more
about
separate
systems
and
combined
systems.
60%
of
the
city
is,
is
on
ik
on
a
combined
system,
awful
for
the
environment,
awful
for
the
taxpayer
and
the
rate
payer,
but
we're
stuck
with
it
pretty
much.
G
That's
everybody's
waste
and
water
goes
into
the
same
pipe
and
goes
to
the
treatment
center.
Since
the
mid
40s
separate
systems
were
established
where
you
have
a
separate
pipe
for
your
water.
That
goes
out
into
the
streams
and
into
the
river
it's
clean
and
your
your
waste
goes
to
the
treatment
plant.
So
we're
not
we're
not
spending
a
lot
of
money
with
processing
chemicals
on
water
that
can
go
right
into
the
stream.
However,
it's
the
separate
systems
with
the
two
pipes
that
cause
all
the
problems
they
have.
G
The
lawns
in
front
of
them
remember:
mid
40s,
they
started
getting
built.
My
entire
district
is
is
a
separate
system.
Many
homes
were
built
improperly,
even
though
there's
an
inspector
watching
that
ditch
get
closed
at
the
end
and
I
had
a
group
of
people
in
the
1950s
that
had
been
living
in
their
homes
for
40
years
that
had
crossed
laterals
cross
laterals
means
from
the
very
beginning
their
waste
has
been
going
into
the
river.
G
We
still
have
some
in
the
city,
we're
still
looking
for
them,
but
these
hearings
were
primarily
over
that
the
cost,
the
shocking
cost
of
a
homeowner
having
to
go
and
get
a
bank
loan
or
it
wouldn't
have
any
water.
Once
this
happened
once
they
had
a
broken
ladder
or
cracked,
lateral,
and
so
halfway
through
those
hearings,
David
L
Cohen
called
me
down
to
the
office.
G
They
were
just
going
in
the
wrong
into
the
wrong
main,
and
the
second
thing
was
David
allowed
me
to
design
the
help
program
which
we've
had
for
25
years,
it's
better
than
it
was
it's
nowhere
near
as
good
as
this
I
learned
about
this
warranty
program
through
the
National
League
of
Cities
and
the
Pennsylvania
Municipal
League,
along
with
Marion
tasko,
we
tried
everything
under
the
Nutter
administration
and
you
couldn't
you
just
couldn't
convince
and
the
water
department
was.
It
was
a
hold
back
on
this
war
department.
G
I
never
wanted
to
get
involved
in
this
kind
of
thing.
So
I
really
think
three
things
happen.
The
Energy
Office
was
established
by
Council
President
President,
Clark,
Debbie
McCarty
became
water.
Commissioner,
gave
a
whole
different
outlook.
She
been
out
at
a
lot
of
these
sites
where
this
was
going
on,
where
mains
broke
and
laterals
were
being
charged
to
customers.
So
she
knew
it
inside
out
and
Derek
Greene
was
Marion's
staff
person
trying
to
convince
the
Nutter
administration
to
take
care
of
this.
He
came
in
and
I
said
Derek
it's
yours
here
at
large.
G
This
is
perfect,
and,
and
he
did
so,
Derrick
carried
the
ball-
he
Commissioner
McCarty
and
miss
Shapiro.
This
was
just
a
collision
of
fantastic
proportions
in
in
terms
of
what's
good
for
the
water
department,
the
city
and
home
owners,
particularly
those
with
separate
systems
and
I.
Can't.
Thank
you
enough.
The
only
thing
I've
said
is
I
want
to
be
the
first
person.
I,
don't
want
to
just
send
letters.
G
H
Good
morning,
everyone
and
thank
you
very
much
for
the
strong
endorsement
and
advocacy
from
the
council
members
here
this
morning,
Councilwoman
Parker
Councilwoman
rounds
brown.
Thank
you,
I'd
love
to
have
you
guys
on
the
team
with
as
passionate
as
you
are
about
this
particular
program,
councilman
O'neill
and
certainly
councilman
green,
with
your
leadership
and
stewardship
of
this
program.
So
thank
you
very
much
Emily
to
you
and
the
PE
a-team.
H
It's
been
a
it's
been
a
fast-paced
a
couple
of
months
and
I.
Thank
you
and
your
team.
Sorry
that
Ilan
is
not
here
to
join
us
this
morning
to
to
to
launch
the
program,
but
we
look
forward
to
a
long
and
partnership
and
Deborah
McCarty
in
the
in
the
water
department.
I
look
forward
to
as
well
a
great
collaboration
over
time.
So
it's
been
a
busy
week
in
American
water.
H
We
have
over
200
people
that
are
dedicated
professionals
as
well
as
a
number
of
local
contractors
who
will
make
this
program
successful
and
deliver
a
quality
experience
for
for
Philadelphia
homeowners
enrolled
customers
who
file
a
covered
claim
will
have
no
deductible,
no
service
fees,
an
unlimited
protection
for
covered
repairs,
all
included
in
just
one
low
monthly
rate.
So
we
look
forward
today
to
launching
this
program.
We
look
forward
to
a
long
and
fruitful
partnership
with
both
the
PE,
a
the
water
department
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
I.
A
Want
to
thank
everyone
for
being
here
today.
You
know
it
was
a.
It
was
a
great
irony
that,
as
we
were
developing
this
program
and
putting
together
our
partnership
with
awr,
our
program
manager,
Ilan
Abramson,
who
was
developing
this
program,
actually
had
a
catastrophic
sewage
line.
Failure
at
his
own
house-
and
you
know
so-
had
we
gotten
this
moving
a
little
bit
faster.
A
Maybe
that
would
have
been
a
problem.
So
we
know
that
this
is
a
huge
problem
and
we're
really
excited
to
bring
this
program
to
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
Again,
remember:
consumers.
You
will
get
a
postcard
in
the
mail
today
or
tomorrow
and
hopefully,
and
in
the
next
week,
you'll
be
receiving
a
letter
from
your
council
person,
and
we
would
encourage
you
to
go
to
www.hsn.