Lead Service Line Replacement Costs and Strategies for Reducing Them

Following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) proposal to replace lead service lines nationwide within 10 years, there’s been a lot of conversation around cost of implementing a lead service line replacement program. A lot of this conversation happens without the data that’s necessary to flush out the details. We are here to help.

Earlier this year, Safe Water Engineering prepared a report that analyzed lead service line replacement (LSLR) cost estimates, identified the line-item costs that are major overall cost drivers, and identified strategies for reducing LSLR costs at both the unit scale and at the overall program scale. In our literature review we found the median unit LSLR cost as low as $6,143, and the mean LSLR cost at $8,247 (see Figure 1).  The 75th percentile was less than $10,000 in each of the cost estimates we examined.

Figure 1: Estimated Full Lead Service Line Replacement Costs (2020$)

By completing an independent cost estimate using RS Means data, we found that most of the construction costs do not vary substantially. There is a small set of construction conditions that can drive up costs (Figure 2), but as reflected in the literature review cost estimates (Figure 1), these conditions are not experienced in the majority of replacements.

There are generally more opportunities to reduce overall LSLR program costs by implementing smart LSLR project planning and policy decisions in contracting, permitting, paving, and strategic LSLR program planning compared to reducing fundamental construction costs. In some cases, such as paving policies, it is local policy requirements that drive up construction costs. There are many opportunities to revisit these policies to reduce the cost while still ensuring quality and safety for neighborhoods where work is being done.

Figure 2: Independent FLSLR Construction Cost Estimate Scenarios

We have experience designing and evaluating LSLR programs to reach the entire community and ensure that LSLR funding is being used as effectively as possible. Our Journal AWWA award-winning article Benton Harbor Case Study, From Lead Crisis to Lead-Free, describes how several of these high efficiency and cost saving strategies were used to remove all the lead service lines from Benton Harbor, Michigan. The Benton Harbor City-Wide Lead Service Line Replacement project just won EPA’s Excellence in Creative Solutions award.

The full report, LSLR Costs and Strategies for Reducing Them, is available here.

Contact us today to learn about what we can do to place you on a steady path to removing all your lead service lines while minimizing cost and ensuring public health protection.