Pittsburgh Water approves $12.1 million contract for lead pipe replacement

(UI) — Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PGH2O) has awarded a $12.1 million contract to Wilson Excavating for its 2024 Neighborhood Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) project. The contract mandates the use of SWORDFISH lead pipe inspection technology before pipe replacement.

Element 82, a division of Crown and Electro Scan Inc.'s exclusive service partner, will conduct SWORDFISH testing on all water service lines for 1,600 homes.

The project is part of PGH2O’s broader initiative to identify and remove lead service lines, with a goal of eliminating them citywide by 2027.

“We congratulate Wilson Excavating for winning this competitive bid and applaud the visionary leadership of Will Pickering (CEO, PGH2O) and Dan Duffy (Principal at East Woods Consultants, LLC) for pioneering lead pipe identification and remediation,” said Mike App, Executive Vice President of Electro Scan Inc.

PGH2O’s approach has drawn national attention, with 32 organizations consulting the agency since 2021 to learn best practices. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) approved electrical resistance testing for lead pipe identification in May 2024. In December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized it as the only commercially available solution for accurately locating lead pipes.

PGH2O has received $176 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and an additional $26 million from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) to support ongoing lead pipe replacement efforts.

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