Lead Water Service Line Replacement Project Nears 300 Completions

 

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Liz Elliott, Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director, (LTU) today announced that, as part of the Lead Safe Lincoln initiative, the City has replaced 263 lead water service lines and continues to expand the project to new neighborhoods. The City announced the lead water service line replacement project in 2024 with the goal to assess and replace nearly 6,000 lead service lines in Lincoln by 2035.

 

“Through this initiative, the City is proactively preventing and reducing the risk of lead exposure for our community’s children and families and improving the health and safety of the homes in which they live,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said. “Our work to replace private lead water service lines at no cost to property owners protects our community members’ health and their pocketbooks, as these improvements would otherwise cost homeowners thousands of dollars.”

 

Joining Mayor Gaylor Baird and Director Elliott at the news conference were City Councilmember Bennie Shobe and Marla Cleveland, Near South Neighborhood property owner.

 

Water service lines are smaller, privately owned pipelines that connect a home or business to the City’s public water main located under the street. The City contacts property owners via mail and schedules in-home inspections prior to the work. A City-contracted plumbing company completes the replacement work. Property owners who have homes and businesses constructed primarily before the 1950s may be at risk of being lead or lead contaminated.

 

Service line replacement work began in July 2024 and has been completed in portions of the North Bottoms, Woods Park, and Hawley neighborhoods for all property owners who signed up for the service line replacement program.

 

This summer, the City expanded the program to qualified property owners in portions of the Near South and Everett neighborhoods. Crews will also continue scheduling and conducting replacements in portions of the Irvingdale, Capitol View, and South Salt Creek neighborhoods in 2025 and 2026. Residents in these five areas still needing a service line replacement are asked to schedule that work now at lincoln.ne.gov/LeadSafe.

 

Elliott said water service line replacement work is guided by data that indicates areas showing a greater density of lead and lead contaminated galvanized steel service lines, elevated blood levels of lead in children, social vulnerability, and risk to lead exposure due to the amount of lead in the service line.

 

“By signing up for this program, it ensures your household or business has a safer, cleaner water service line for years to come. Replacing your own lead service line can cost a property owner up to $10,000. We encourage property owners to take advantage of this program while it’s active in their neighborhood,” Elliott said.

 

Cleveland said a crew completed the service line replacement in a few hours and noted how little cosmetic work will be needed in her yard.

 

“I am reassured I don’t have to worry about lead pipes, and I can do my part in increasing the health of our community. If you have the chance to take advantage of this program, sign up. It’s worth it,” Cleveland said.

 

Shobe said the program provides financial and health benefits for the residents of Lincoln’s historical neighborhoods.

 

“This program demonstrates the City’s commitment to protecting our community members’ well-being and wallets. By replacing old lead water service lines with new ones for free, we ensure cost is not a barrier to safe, clean drinking water,” Shobe said.

 

This project is part of the City’s Lead Safe Lincoln initiative, launched in 2022 to proactively prevent community members’ exposure to lead. The program is voluntary, and there is no cost to the property owners for the line replacement service.

 

The service line replacement project is part of a multi-year program made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided $32.6 million in federal loan funding to this program, and by partners at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, and the Lincoln City Council. The lead replacement program is estimated to cost $55 million to replace the 6,000 service lines.

 

For more information and to determine whether your property service line is lead or galvanized, visit the Lead Service Line Replacement website at lincoln.ne.gov/LeadSafe.