Did you get a Plumbing Notice of Defect from the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) but don’t know what it means? You’re not alone. Many property owners have a hard time understanding this notice. Let us break it down for you.

A defect notice tells you that there’s a plumbing issue somewhere between your house and the City’s water main or sewer in the street. In Philadelphia, property owners are responsible for these repairs. This is true even if the broken pipe is outside your building, like under the sidewalk or roadway.

We know this may come as a surprise to you, but you’ve got options and we’re sharing them below!

Why did you get a defect notice?

A Plumbing Notice of Defect means you must pay for the broken pipes or other part of your plumbing connecting your property to the City’s water main and sewer in the street. Leaking exterior pipes are dangerous for you and your neighbors, and they usually need to be fixed right away.

PWD leaves a defect notice at your door after a crew chief or inspector spots a water-related problem. A copy of the notice is also mailed to you within 20 days. The notice tells you where the problem was spotted, what steps to take, and who to contact with questions.

What to do when you get a defect notice?

Your regular homeowner’s or renter’s insurance probably won’t cover plumbing defects. But you can get specialized insurance. The Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA), a municipal government entity, works with American Water Resources to provide this kind of protection. The PEA negotiated an affordable monthly fee specifically for Philadelphians.

While this is not a Department of Revenue or PWD program and American Water Resources is a private, for-profit company, we support any water and service line protection program that provides affordable solutions to Philadelphia property owners. You can call American Water Resources at (844) 765-7260 to learn about their program for Philadelphians.

HELP Loans can help, too!

If you get a defect notice, you only have a short time to fix the issue. A water supply or sewer defect can quickly lead to dangerous, even more expensive problems for you and your neighbors. But there’s good news: PWD’s Homeowner Emergency Loan Program (HELP) can help you with costly repairs.

A HELP Loan is only available to property owners. Also, you have to receive a defect notice from PWD or want to replace a lead water service line to qualify for this program.

When you enroll, a PWD contractor repairs your exterior residential plumbing. You pay PWD back over five years, interest-free. Low-income water customers get longer installments.

To apply for a HELP loan, or get more information about the program:

If you decide to fix the defect on your own, you’ll need a licensed plumber. You must hire a licensed plumber without assistance from the City. You can find a list of licensed plumbers on phila.gov/li. Select “Find a licensed contractor and contractor information.”

Before hiring someone, consider getting recommendations from people you trust and obtaining a few estimates.

Graphic source: Philadelphia Water Dept.

Learn more about Philadelphia’s HELP Loan program.