Actions taken in 2018 propelled the progress for PWSA’s lead line replacement program

Pittsburgh, PA – Since June 2016, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has replaced over 7,400 public lead service lines and more than 4,700 private lead service lines throughout Pittsburgh. The authority and Mayor William Peduto remain committed to ensuring city residents have safe and clean drinking water. PWSA is on target to replace all lead service lines in its water service area by 2026. 
 
The comprehensive Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) program implemented in 2018 generated the momentum that we are experiencing today. The actions taken by PWSA’s Board of Directors and a change in state law, made it possible to replace private side lead lines at no cost to homeowners while replacing public side lines. This incentive to homeowners, coupled with a dedicated lead team to manage and coordinate the work with our customers, provided the ability to move forward with lead line replacements at a steady pace. 
 
As part of the 2018 and 2019 neighborhood-based LSLR Programs, PWSA replaced over 6,000 public lead lines and more than 4,600 private lead lines at a cost of $90 million. This includes $49 million in state funding assistance provided by PENNVEST for the 2019 program, which included a $13.7 million grant and a $35.4 million low-interest loan. 

PWSA has surpassed the number of lead line replacements required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The 2019/2020 compliance year from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 has been our most productive year. We replaced more than 3,200 public lead service lines – replacing nearly four times the amount of lead service lines required by state regulations.  

Going forward, PWSA will replace lead service lines in conjunction with water main replacement projects taking place across Pittsburgh. Additional PENNVEST funding, totaling $65 million, will support the replacement of over 15 miles of aging distribution pipes and more than 2,000 service lines throughout the city in 2020 and early 2021. This approach is a more efficient way to replace lead lines, and we will continue to implement these projects for years to come. 
 
Elements of the lead line replacement program will remain the same. PWSA focused its neighborhood-based lead line replacement program by using community-based data to prioritize the most vulnerable neighborhoods. Prioritization was based on blood lead levels in children and the concentration of children under six years old as well as women of child-bearing age. It also included income levels of the neighborhood and the presence of lead service lines. We will continue to use this prioritization model in selecting our areas for water main replacements going forward.
 
Additionally, PWSA’s lead team will continue to manage and oversee the coordination with residents. They ensure residents are aware of the process, have completed the necessary agreement to allow us to replace private side lead service lines, and know what to do before and after construction. PWSA’s construction contractors will continue the successful use of trenchless methods to replace private lead service lines, minimizing construction impacts on our customers. 
 
The Community Lead Response Advisory Committee remains active in advising PWSA on the procedures developed to provide transparency to community members. The authority is also implementing affordability programs that will help low-income customers remove lead service lines from their homes at no cost.
 
“Our Community Lead Response programs go over and beyond to protect the health and safety of our customers,” stated Will Pickering, PWSA’s Executive Director. “With each lead line we replace, we are reducing potential exposure to lead, and improving service reliability.  This project is a priority for PWSA and our community, so we won’t stop until this work is complete.”

“PWSA has made tremendous strides though its lead line replacement program, doing even more work than what is required by the state. That is a testament to how seriously Pittsburgh has tackled this issue, and how hard we will continue to work for years to come,” Mayor Peduto said.

For more information about our Community Lead Response, please visit https://lead.pgh2o.com/.