A new report issued by the Minnesota Department of Health estimates that removing lead from drinking water in Minnesota could cost $4 billion dollars over two decades, but they also note that the benefits of removing lead, a harmful neurotoxin, could be double that amount. The report estimates that there are approximately 100,000 old lead service lines in use throughout Minnesota. Replacing these lines is will be no small task especially given the lack of information on where these lines specifically exist. An article published by the Star Tribune about the report notes that part of the high cost is the complexity involved in surveying private homes for lead plumbing: "Lead service lines and plumbing fixtures inside the home are the most significant source of lead in public drinking water. A huge challenge in removing them is that the water supplier owns part of the pipe, and the property owner owns the stretch running into the building. The dividing line on ownership is typically somewhere around the curb."
There is also reluctance from many homeowners to take on the cost of replacing lead service lines which can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $8,000 per line. "To help property owners pay for removing their lead pipes, officials are eyeing the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The fund, a mix of federal dollars, state money and loan repayments, is jointly run by the Health Department and the state Public Facilities Authority. The two agencies are discussing how the funding might be transferred to cities and utilities that would devise ways to provide it customers, via grants or low interest loans, for example."
Lead exposure is a significant health concern as it can cause cognitive damage, especially in young children under the age of 6. There is no safe level of lead in drinking water.
Have you ever had your water tested for lead? Even newer homes can contain service lines, pipes, or fixtures with small amounts of lead. Contact us for more information about lead testing. We can get you a sampling kit and help you determine what your next steps are if you do find lead in your drinking water.
There is also reluctance from many homeowners to take on the cost of replacing lead service lines which can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $8,000 per line. "To help property owners pay for removing their lead pipes, officials are eyeing the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The fund, a mix of federal dollars, state money and loan repayments, is jointly run by the Health Department and the state Public Facilities Authority. The two agencies are discussing how the funding might be transferred to cities and utilities that would devise ways to provide it customers, via grants or low interest loans, for example."
Lead exposure is a significant health concern as it can cause cognitive damage, especially in young children under the age of 6. There is no safe level of lead in drinking water.
Have you ever had your water tested for lead? Even newer homes can contain service lines, pipes, or fixtures with small amounts of lead. Contact us for more information about lead testing. We can get you a sampling kit and help you determine what your next steps are if you do find lead in your drinking water.
