October 29 Ward 2 meeting
Covered by Documenters Fenna Blue and Joy Butch (see notes here).
The City of Akron is officially in sight of a milestone it has been working toward since the 1960s: the complete removal of city-owned lead water lines.
“We’re very proud that, in about two weeks, we’re going to announce that we are going to be lead-free,” said Chris Ludle, Akron’s director of public service, during the Oct. 29 Ward 2 meeting.
Once Akron removes the last few city-owned lines, which typically provide service from the street to the sidewalk edge closest to the house or structure, it will be one of only a handful of American cities to be lead-free.
In the 1960s, Akron officials decided to remove lead lines completely as they conducted routine maintenance of the Akron water system. This, combined with increased federal funding and public outcry following the 2014-2019 Flint water crisis, where an estimated 140,000 residents were exposed to lead and other contaminants in the city’s drinking water, has allowed the city to eliminate the remaining few lines. Nick Marshall, a utilities field coordinator in water engineering with the city, said there are only about 20 lines that still need to be mitigated.
Galvanized pipes up next for removal
While the city’s lead water lines will soon be gone, some steps are still needed to ensure the safety of residents’ water supply. Mainly, the work involves the removal of old galvanized steel pipes that connect homes to the city’s water system.
“If you have a galvanized line that was downstream of a lead [line] at one time, the EPA has now brought it into enforcement, where you have to remove that also. We have till 2027” to remove them, Ludle said.
Go here to learn more about lead in your home and what you can do including learning about:
• How lead gets in drinking water
• How to identify lead pipes in your home
• The health effects of lead
• Ways to reduce lead in drinking water
Help available for some homeowners with lead pipes
Fixing lines running from the sidewalk to a home traditionally was the homeowner’s responsibility.
“If you called us and said there’s a leak by my sidewalk, and we came out and it was leaking on what we would call the private side, which is the homeowner side, it was always up to the homeowner to replace that line,” Ludle said.
The city will cover the cost of the approximately 4,000 Akron homes that will need upgrades. “That means you’re going to get a new line. If you’re one of these unfortunate houses that had lead at one time, you’re going to get a brand new line from the lawn strip all the way to your meters,” Ludle said.
Notifications were sent in July to all homeowners who need the upgrade; any additional questions or inquiries can be directed to the Akron Water Supply Bureau.