Detroit Water and Sewerage Department officials on Thursday said they will be able to speed up the replacement of about 80,000 lead services lines in the city thanks to a $100 million fund the agency has amassed from state and federal grants.
The lines will be replaced at no additional cost to customers, DWSD Director Gary Brown said in a statement. 2.5 Gate Valve
He also said the fund will enable the department to step up its program to replace lead service lines from about 700 a year to at least 5,000 annually for the next three years.
"While there is no evidence to suggest lead service lines are a contributor to elevated blood lead levels in Detroit, they do pose a risk," Brown said. "With an existing and robust lead service line replacement program, we have the ability to dramatically accelerate our work based on this new funding.
The $100 million fund that will be used to replace the lines is largely funded by federal and state dollars. The largest amount, $75 million, is from the American Rescue Plan Act funds through Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
"We thank our federal and state partners for providing the bulk of the funding," said Brown.
Brown said the money also will enable the department to replace individual service lines outside of the department's capital improvement program. Currently, it only replaces service lines when it replaces the water main on the same street.
The city water department estimates lead service line replacement cost more than $10,000 per house for the required excavation at the curb-stop valve and boring to install a new line.
Brown said the department is committed to providing its customers with safe drinking water and it will eventually replace all residential lead service lines in the city.
He also said the department will need more funding to replace all of the city's 80,000 lead service lines and it is pursuing additional funding sources.
Wafer Check Valves "We’ve said for the past four years, we cannot put the cost on the backs of our ratepayers — outside funding is essential to replace the lines," Brown said.