Authored by Meg Hillock, Director External Affairs & Partnerships, Oncourse Home Solutions
When the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) launched a voluntary water line protection program in January 2025, the goals were straightforward: help residents afford repairs and cut water loss. Sixteen months later, the results exceeded expectations.
The district partnered with American Water Resources, an Oncourse Home Solutions company, to offer residents affordable coverage for residential water service line repairs. The program costs nothing to ratepayers — running entirely on voluntary enrollments — and LVVWD accelerated adoption by crediting the first year of coverage for the first 50,000 qualified customers. The results speak for themselves. As of May 2026, more than 53,000 households are enrolled. Oncourse has covered approximately $4.24 million in repair costs since March 2025. An estimated 132.4 million gallons of treated water have been conserved through faster repairs. And 96 percent of customers who filed a claim rated the program positively.
The Problem the Program Solves
Leaking residential water service lines are a persistent source of water loss and financial stress for homeowners and cities alike. 48 percent of homeowners say they have left home repairs unadressed due to cost. When a repair estimate reaches $3,000 or more, many residents delay the fix, sometimes for weeks or months. Left unrepaired, treated water seeps into the ground and drives up household water bills.
“Repairing service lines can be costly for homeowners, resulting in deferred repairs and extended leak durations that cause more water to be lost and higher water bills for customers,” said JC Davis, LVVWD director of customer care.
The program helps remove that barrier. When a covered leak occurs, a vetted local contractor responds promptly and completes quality repairs quickly, minimizing unaddressed leak time and supporting water loss reduction.
Why Conservation Matters Here More Than Most Places
Las Vegas Valley’s water challenge is unlike almost anywhere else in the country. Lake Mead, which supplies roughly 90 percent of the valley’s water, sat at just 31 percent of capacity in 2025. Southern Nevada is operating under a federal Tier 1 water shortage that cuts Nevada’s Colorado River allocation by 7 percent. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has warned the reservoir could fall further in 2026, potentially triggering steeper mandatory cuts.
Nevada holds just 1.8 percent of total Colorado River water rights — the smallest share of the seven states that draw from the river.
Southern Nevada has made meaningful conservation progress. Per capita water use has dropped 58 percent since 2002, even as the region’s population grew by nearly 876,000 residents. The Southern Nevada Water Authority has set a goal to cut consumption by another 10 percent over the next decade. Every gallon saved at the household level counts toward that target.
The 132.4 million gallons conserved through this program in 2025 is a huge step towards that goal.
Built for the Community
The program’s design reflects a deliberate commitment to keeping dollars local. All repairs are performed by vetted contractors within LVVWD’s service territory, supporting small businesses and local jobs while ensuring quality and timeliness for homeowners.
For municipal leaders and utilities exploring similar approaches, the LVVWD case demonstrates what a well-structured partnership can deliver: financial relief for residents, real conservation outcomes and community economic benefit, all without touching utility rates. LVVWD made an upfront investment, but this is not required for success. Municipalities and utilities can achieve similar results through program structures tailored to their own goals and resources. Oncourse Home Solutions has been partnering with municipalities and utilities for more than 30 years and serves as the exclusively endorsed home protection partner of the National League of Cities.
Building More Resilient Communities, Together
Get more information about bringing a home protection program to your community.
About the Author
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