Minnesota invests $240 million to replace lead pipes across the state
(UI) – According to the Star Tribune, Minnesota is investing $240 million to locate, remove and replace over 100,000 lead service lines to clean up the state’s drinking water. The money will fund a surveillance program to help identify structures that could be connected to service lines containing lead, while the state’s Public Facilities Authority will provide grants to cover replacement costs.
Most of the funds will go towards removing portions of lead pipes that are privately owned. However, municipalities can apply for grants to replace publicly owned pipes.
In total, replacing lead service lines across the state will cost an estimated $800 million. However, lawmakers plan to “unlock” $43 million in federal infrastructure funding a year over the next decade to meet that number.
Exposure to lead can cause severe damage to the nervous system, especially in young children. While finding and digging for lead pipes can be costly and time consuming, Minnesota residents and businesses no longer have to “shoulder the burden” of removing service lines with this new proposal.
This story was originally reported by the Star Tribune.
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