Cincinnati will now pay entire cost of replacing privately-owned lead lines

91.7 WVXU
Becca Costello

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Cincinnati will start covering the entire cost of replacing residential lead services lines as soon as next month. Council approved the plan in a 8-0 vote Wednesday.

The city has nearly 40,000 private lead lines at risk of contaminating drinking water. A current city program will pay for up to half the cost of replacing lines on private property (40% for all residential property owners, and 45-50% for low-income property owners).

"We had a customer assistance program that would help people as well, which gave them some additional assistance," said Cathy Bailey, executive director of Greater Cincinnati Water Works. "But even with that we still heard from customers that said, 'I still can't afford it.' "