$3.2 Million Care and Conserve Plumbing Repair Program Reaches 269 Atlanta Homes

Nehemiah Project CDC closes out its Care and Conserve contract 15 percent over goal, repairing 269 Atlanta homes.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, September 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Nehemiah Project Community Development Corporation has completed its Care and Conserve Plumbing Repair Program contract with the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, finishing repairs for 269 households against a contract goal of 234.

The work ran from November 2024 through May 2026 under a $3,207,450.95 contract. Of that, $2,284,913.00 went directly into plumbing repairs in Atlanta homes.

For the families involved, the repairs were rarely cosmetic. Crews removed sewage from crawlspaces, replaced water service lines running underground from the street, and rebuilt bathrooms that had stopped working. Individual jobs ran past $27,000. Across the contract, the organization installed 109 water heaters, replaced 79 main water service lines, replaced 83 drain lines, and replaced 19 sewer laterals. Another 244 low flow toilets and 183 thermostatic shower valves went in to cut water use in homes where the bill had become part of the problem.

Repairs reached 82 named neighborhoods, from Adamsville and Collier Heights to Peoplestown, Mechanicsville, East Lake, and Grove Park.

The harder work happened before any plumber arrived. Assistance programs require documentation, and for many older homeowners the paperwork is the wall they never get over. Nehemiah created a Document Acquisition position for that reason, a staff role dedicated to going out to seniors, sitting with them, and getting the file complete. Over the contract, the organization assisted more than 300 Watershed customers with gathering and submitting documentation for water bill payment assistance, and provided transportation for more than 30 clients to the Department of Labor to obtain wage verification the application required.

“A leak a family cannot afford to fix becomes a water bill they cannot afford to pay, and then it becomes a house they cannot afford to keep,” said Ingrid C. Thompson, CEO of Nehemiah Project Community Development Corporation. “Some of these homeowners had been living with the problem for years before anyone knocked. Getting the repair right matters. Getting to them at all matters more.”

The contract also put money into the trades. Nehemiah hired two plumber helpers to train alongside licensed plumbers, sent four licensed plumbers through advanced leak detection training, and supported six contractors in earning EPA Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting certifications. The organization purchased leak detection equipment during the contract period, allowing crews to find hidden leaks that would otherwise have kept running behind a wall.

Homeowners served by the program described the difference in plain terms. “Before the program, my home faced one plumbing problem after another, from sewage under the house to failing pipes and constant repairs I couldn’t afford,” said Walter C., an Atlanta homeowner. “Today, I have reliable plumbing, hot water, and peace of mind.”

Another homeowner, Flora O., said she never expected to be able to afford the work her house needed. Her water service line was replaced, a tankless water heater installed, and her bathroom fully renovated.
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Nehemiah Project Community Development Corporation has repaired more than 1,250 homes for seniors, veterans, and families across metro Atlanta since 2002. The organization has administered the Care and Conserve Plumbing Repair Program across multiple contract periods totaling approximately $8.7 million, completing more than 900 major plumbing repairs. Beyond plumbing, Nehemiah delivers senior home rehabilitation, weatherization, and housing stability services, all built around the same goal of keeping existing homeowners in the homes they already own. Learn more at nehemiahprojectcdc.org.

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