Vincent Grama, with the City of Prattville Public Works Department, described the Lateral Rehabilitation Assistance Program (LRAP) during a brief presentation at the Pine Creek facility, saying the program helps homeowners pay to replace damaged sanitary sewer laterals that connect residences to the city system.

Under LRAP, applicants complete an application, submit a repair quote from a certified plumber and pay a $50 application fee; Grama said that once approved the program covers the full cost of repair and the expense is added to the homeowner's water bill as a $30-per-month charge with no interest until paid off. "It's that simple," Grama said.

Grama said the city periodically performs smoke testing to identify problems in the sanitary sewer system, marks identified problem lines in the city's GPS system and notifies property owners. He asked homeowners who discover an issue themselves to download the LRAP application from the city website or pick one up at the Public Works office.

City staff framed the program as a way to reduce rainwater infiltration into the sewer system, which Grama said lowers treatment costs and helps keep rates affordable for all residents. "We're here to make the process easy and keep Prattville a great place to live," Grama said.

For more information, Grama directed residents to the Prattville Public Works website or the department's office; specific contact details were not provided in the presentation.