BRISTOL, Conn., Aug. 07, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New England Water Utility Services, Inc. (NEWUS), a subsidiary of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTWS), has announced it is making its Linebacker® Protection Program available to homeowners in Bristol. NEWUS is an affiliate of Connecticut Water Company, one of the state’s largest public water utilities with more than 90,000 customers, serving a population of 300,000. Connecticut Water began offering Linebacker protection to its own customers nearly 15 years ago. The Linebacker Protection Program protects homeowners from the hassle and costly repairs for water, wastewater and in-home plumbing emergencies.
According to Eric W. Thornburg, Connecticut Water’s president and CEO, “Many homeowners assume that the water utility owns the water service line that runs from the curb at their property line to their home. In fact, the homeowner owns that line and the typical cost to replace it is about $2,500. Not to mention the hassle of finding a qualified contractor to excavate and repair the pipe.” Mr. Thornburg adds, “Having Linebacker coordinate the repairs in a timely manner, minimizes the time they don’t have water service, and gives homeowners peace of mind knowing that the repairs are covered for a modest annual fee.”
Bristol’s single family homeowners now have the option to get coverage for the water service line (the water line between the curb and the home), in home plumbing, and wastewater line between the home and septic tank or property line if served by City sewer. Annual fees range from $85 to 185 per year depending based on the level of coverage selected. Linebacker arranges for a qualified contractor to complete the repairs. Multi-family homes are only eligible for the water service line protection.
NEWUS stands behind the work performed under Linebacker, and thousands of repairs have been covered over the past 15 years for Connecticut Water’s own customers. Over the past 5 years, the Linebacker program has saved customers more than $2.3 million in covered repairs.
Linebacker plans are subject to a $50 fee to dispatch a service person to assess the situation. More information on Linebacker is available at www.CTWater.com/Linebacker or 888-488-1419, including program terms and conditions.
New England Water Utility Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of CTWS, which is the largest publicly traded water company based in New England. Through its wholly-owned public water utility subsidiaries, The Connecticut Water Company and The Maine Water Company, the Company provides drinking water to 123,000 customers, or about 400,000 people, throughout the states of Connecticut and Maine.