December 23, 2021
OEC Applauds Toledo For Lead Service Line Replacement Funding Announcement
TOLEDO, OH — On Tuesday, Toledo City Council approved Mayor Wade Kapzukiewicz’s proposed plan to spend $180.9 million that the city received from the American Recovery Plan Act, which includes $10 million to fund private lead pipe replacement. Toledo plans to replace all of the 3,000 estimated customer-owned lead water lines at no cost to the homeowner. Toledo’s Department of Public Utilities already has a plan funded through the water utility to replace all publicly-owned lead water lines.
In response, the following quote can be attributed to Nick Mandros, Northwest Regional Director for the Ohio Environmental Council:
“As of 2021, Ohio ranks second in the nation for the number of lead service lines connecting residents’ plumbing systems to the water utility’s main water lines under the street. We applaud Mayor Kapzukiewicz and Toledo City Council for approving a plan to eliminate all lead water lines, covering the full cost of replacement for city residents and protecting future generations of Toledoans from the threat of lead in their drinking water. The Mayor’s Toledo Recovery Plan will help move the city toward clean and safe drinking water for all.”
For more information on the critical need for lead service line replacement in Ohio, please visit the Ohio Environmental Council’s resource page.