A $1.89 monthly fee could save homeowners from a surprise bill measured in the thousands.
In Stevens Point, Wisconsin, residents are responsible for the sanitary sewer lateral running from their home to the middle of the street. When those pipes fail, repairs can cost up to $10,000. Joel Lemke, Director of Public Utilities for the City of Stevens Point, explains how a new utility program spreads that risk across the community, collecting a small monthly fee to cover future lateral failures and eliminate unexpected repair bills.
The approach treats aging infrastructure like a shared challenge rather than a homeowner lottery—offering a predictable, affordable solution to a costly problem that many residents don't even know they own.
Lemke was a participant in the Duke University Water Innovation Leaderships Development Program.
H2O INTRO is sponsored by Human Capital Solutions, an executive search, recruiting, and leadership advisory firm. Visit https://humancs.com/
00:00 — The $10,000 Sewer Bill Problem
00:22 — Who Owns the Lateral?
00:49 — The $1.89 Solution
01:08 — Making Repairs Fairer
waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. Visit https://www.waterloop.org/
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