City of Watertown eliminating lead in drinking water

Nicole Ethium
Watertown Daily Times

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The City of Watertown’s Water Utility is taking steps to reduce lead in drinking water with the help of the Private Lead Service Line Replacement Program. This year the city was able to obtain a grant from the Department of Natural Resources and hire a contractor to replace more homes’ lead laterals at no cost to those citizens, stated the City of Watertown.

To make the most of the DNR grant, the city decided to replace as many lead service lines as possible by focusing on the area of Watertown with the highest concentration of likely lead laterals in the center of the city. The homeowners affected were notified through mail earlier this year.

According to the City of Watertown, In 2021, 140 lead laterals were replaced. This year, 463 homes are scheduled to have their lead laterals replaced. The city’s goal is to be lead free in ten years.