Claire Bessette
Yahoo News: The Day, New London, Connecticut Read the full article. Anyone who owns an older home or building connected to the Norwich Public Utility water system is invited to a public forum Thursday to learn how the utility plans to identify and remove lead pipe connections. NPU's "Get the Lead Out" campaign is being launched this week as part of a multi-year effort to remove an estimated 1,200 or more water service lines containing lead that run from the street to buildings, NPU officials said. NPU will host an open house at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Rose City Senior Center, 8 Mahan Drive, to explain the upcoming survey of homes throughout the city to check for the presence of lead. The survey will guide a citywide removal project, funded solely through state and federal grants and NPU, with no cost to building owners. Matt Witkos
Fox 17 Read the full article. A massive lead-line replacement project is underway in Grand Rapids, as the city plans to remove more than 2,000 lead service lines this year. A key partnership is helping the city streamline the work. Teaming up with the "Vital Streets Program," the city will double-up on the effectiveness of replacements by timing them with road construction projects. Colin Kempsell
Northern Star Read the full article. Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency John J. Kim announced Jan. 17 that the City of Sycamore will receive $4,111,200 million in funds to repair its lead service lines. The money comes from a State Revolving Fund from the IEPA, offering loans for drinking water improvements. Due to current loan regulations, the city will not be required to repay the $4 million, according to a news release. “Sycamore is just one example of many communities that are identifying and replacing lead service lines with funding available through IEPA’s State Revolving Fund,” Kim said. Lauren Johnson
KCCI 8 Des Moines Read the full article. Des Moines Water Works went before the city council Monday morning to recommend replacing 20,000 of the city's lead pipes. The project comes in at an estimated $200 million. Some home and property owners could be responsible for paying for the replacement. The hope is to get grants and other federal dollars to help cover those costs. South Pittsburgh Reporter
Read the full article. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) was awarded a $9.7 million grant and $3.7 million in low-interest loans from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) for the 2023 Neighborhood Lead Service Line Replacement Project. This funding will replace approximately 1,000 lead service lines at priority locations within its service area. "With continued support from the PENNVEST Board, state leaders, and the City of Pittsburgh, we are removing lead service lines from our drinking water system at a rapid pace," said PWSA Chief Executive Officer, Will Pickering. "Our partnership with PENNVEST has been key to PWSA's success in renewing our water system while minimizing costs to ratepayers." David Zimmer
NorthJersey.com Read the full article. A new online tool will help Passaic Valley Water Commission customers in North Jersey identify lead water pipes in their homes. The tool, unveiled Friday, will tell users if their pipes are lead, copper or in need of closer inspection after they enter their home's address. Users who do not receive an instant determination can submit photos through the tool for further inspection by commission officials. Company representatives have been going door-to-door to make site inspections after launching a $36 million program to replace water service pipes in 2022. Still, officials noted that in-home canvassing can pose inconveniences for customers, who must approve all inspections and site work. Matt Grahn
The Bulletin Read the full article. The Flint, Michigan water crisis of 2014 drew national attention to the presence of lead pipe in the water supply. Now, part of that regulatory response is coming to Norwich. Norwich Public Utilities, the entity that manages the city's water supply, estimates there are at least 800 private water service lines in the city with pipes that contain lead, and an upcoming survey is expected to reveal more. The water is protected with corrosion inhibitors, but the utility plans to begin replacing those lines this summer. In December, the utility received $600,000 from the state bonding commission to replace 70 lines to private homes and businesses. While this first phase will be finished by Labor Day, it's part of a larger project to eliminate all lead water service lines in the city within five years, according to a press release. Tiffany Tan
VTDigger Read the full article. Nearly 300 homes in Bennington have already had their lead water pipes replaced under a multiyear, multimillion dollar project, putting the town ahead of the curve compared with the rest of the state. Funded by an $11 million federal grant, the project has benefited 294 homes since it started in the spring of 2021. About 350 more homes will undergo the same water pipe upgrade by the time the project is expected to end in 2024, said Bennington’s assistant public works director, Larry Gates. Mike McConnell
Royal Oak Tribune Read the full article. Ferndale is replacing lead water service lines to homes that have them at a much quicker rate than the state has ordered. City Public Works Director Daniel Antosik is scheduled to give City Council members an update on the replacement program’s progress at their meeting Monday. “The state required cities to replace lead lines within 20 years,” he said. “The clock started in 2021.” But Antosik added that Ferndale is working to have all of the lead service lines replaced by 2031, a decade ahead of the state’s schedule. William Tong
The Daily Northwestern Read the full article. Evanston will receive $1 million from the Illinois government to replace lead pipes in south Evanston, according to a press release from State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago). The city has more than 11,000 lead service lines. The new state funding will address the consistent impact lead pipes in south Evanston have on Black communities and other communities of color in the area, Simmons said in a Dec. 10 announcement. Last year, Evanston also started a pilot program for replacing lead pipes across the city. Low- or moderate- income residents whose homes have already had their city-owned lead pipes replaced can apply to have their privately owned lead pipes replaced at no cost. Homes with partially replaced lead pipes are at high risk for lead poisoning, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. |
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April 2023
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