With new goals, requirements, and funding for lead service line replacements emerging all the time, it's crucial to make the most of available resources. Here are Safe Water Engineering's top recommendations for maximizing funding and removing more lead service lines from your water system:

Figure 1: Sample Lead Service Line Replacement Cost Breakdown Based on Independent Cost Estimate

1.      Develop a Solid Plan: Create a comprehensive lead service line replacement (LSLR) plan by carefully designing your program.

2.      Analyze Costs: Identify the unique cost drivers in your community's lead service line replacement process.

3.      Fully Fund Replacements: Ensure all full lead service line replacements are fully funded, including replacements under private property.

4.      Adopt Ordinances: Adopt and implement local ordinances mandating participation in LSLR programs and promoting full replacements.

5.      Minimize Pavement Disturbance: Use construction methods that minimize disruption to pavement.

6.      Revisit Pavement Policies: Explore opportunities to revise local pavement policies for efficient paving after LSLR.

7.      Streamline Permits: Develop a bulk permit process or dedicate staff to eliminate fees on a per-unit basis.

8.      Tailored Traffic Control: Scale traffic control requirements according to the neighborhoods under construction.

9.      Effective Contracting: Utilize contracting and bid practices to control costs and drive them down.

10.  Transparency: Publish engineers' cost estimates, bids, and invoices to demonstrate spending and celebrate LSLR achievements in the community.

How is your lead service line replacement program progressing in your community? Safe Water Engineering can assist communities in removing all lead service lines while minimizing costs and safeguarding public health. We specialize in designing and evaluating LSLR programs to ensure they're effective and reach the entire community. Our proven methodology helps in planning and reducing lead service line replacement costs.

Our award-winning article, "Benton Harbor Case Study: From Lead Crisis to Lead-Free," showcases how these strategies were successfully implemented to remove all lead service lines from Benton Harbor, Michigan. The Benton Harbor City-Wide Lead Service Line Replacement project recently won the EPA's Excellence in Creative Solutions award.

For more details, check out our recent report, "Lead Service Line Replacement Costs and Strategies for Reducing Them." Contact Safe Water Engineering with the form below and let us assist you in refining your program so you can focus on getting the lead out.

Elin Betanzo
President
Safe Water Engineering, LLC
248-326-4339
Elin@Safewaterengineering.com

The State of Michigan revised its Lead and Copper Rule on June 14, 2018. The new rule will require water utilities to inventory all service lines and replace lead and galvanized service lines from the water main in the street to inside the customer's home. This is a big step forward that will improve infrastructure management and public health protection as water utilities improve their records, residents receive improved communications about the risk of lead in drinking water, and a future without lead pipes is closer to reality. My op-ed explaining the importance of the revised Lead and Copper Rule can be found here at Bridge Magazine.

CREDIT LINDSEY SMITH / MICHIGAN RADIO

The Village of Beverly Hills, Michigan exceeded the lead action level as a result of compliance sampling completed in summer 2017. While the high lead level measured does not indicate wide spread risk in Beverly Hills, it demonstrates that homes with lead service lines are at increased risk of exposure to lead in drinking water. Articles posted at Michigan Radio by Lindsey Smith provide a good summary of what happened:

Detroit suburb says it’s “paying for the sins” of MDEQ in Flint water crisis, sues state

Reporter’s Notebook: Clarifying FAQ after Beverly Hills lead in water story

On July 13, 2017 Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-IL, invited Elin Betanzo of Safe Water Engineering to speak at a round table hosted by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee titled "Drinking Water: A Crisis in Every State." A recording of the discussion is available here.