Effective, September 1, 2011 the S.O.S. (Save Our Sewers) program offers partially forgivable loans to property owners who need to make upgrades. The loans are up to 50 percent forgivable, depending on property owners' income levels. We are excited to be able to offer this to residents, thanks to the partnership and support with Polk County, the Urbandale-Windsor Heights Sanitary Sewer District and the Neighborhood Finance Corporation. However, there is a finite amount of funding available to provide the forgivable portion of the loan. In other words, future funding levels for the S.O.S. program are uncertain so this may be available for a limited time only, meaning it is important to act quickly.
 

Click here to learn more about this program and how it works.  For more details about the financing your repairs, you can call the Neighborhood Finance Corporation at 515-246-0010. As always, feel free to call City Hall at 515-279-3662 if you have any additional questions.

Why is this program being offered?

Windsor Heights has an aging sanitary sewer infrastructure. Because sewer lines are old, they can crack and allow groundwater to infiltrate into them. Some residential properties also have foundation drains or sump pumps that tie directly into the sanitary sewer, which means that stormwater and groundwater are introduced directly into the sewer system. These are referred to as inflow and infiltration issues.

The sewer system then becomes inundated with water with every storm of any significance. Many times there is simply more water than the pipes can carry. In the worst cases, a mixture of stormwater and sanitary sewage floods residents' basements and overwhelms the city's water treatment facility. Regrettably, sometimes the sewage flows directly into Walnut Creek, which leads to the Raccoon River and is the source of our drinking water. We will all have to work together to bring the infrastructure up to date if we are to prevent more basements from flooding and preserve our clean drinking water. That is why we introduceda new public-private program we refer to as, S.O.S., or "Save Our Sewers."

Below are two examples of the sewer lines in Windsor Heights.  These pictures were taken inside our sewer system in 2011.  The first picture shows a sizable crack in the sewer line and the other shows a root ball penetrating into the sewer line.  Both of the conditions in these examples can cause clogged or collapsed sewer lines.  In addition, these problems allow groundwater to enter our sewer lines.