City Awaiting Decision on $20 Million Federal Grant to Replace Lead Water Service Lines

Oct 25 2024 9:23 AM

The Medford Engineering Division has applied for a $20 million first-time grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would allow the City to identify and replace public and residential lead water service lines at no cost to the homeowner as required per new EPA regulations, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced. The EPA instructs municipalities to focus replacement efforts in environmental justice designated neighborhoods. According to the EPA, 11 neighborhoods in Medford are classified as EJ communities. The commonwealth has identified, 29 additional neighborhoods throughout the City. Staff will begin replacement work in the 11 neighborhoods designated by the EPA, then expand to the additional 29 if funding is available. If the Grant is awarded, the first phase of the project intends to focus on identification and removal of lead service lines in environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods within Medford as they are historically underserved. These EJ communities encompass 43,607 residents and 17,794 households. This is approximately 67 percent of the total population of Medford.

Through extensive research, the City has identified the presence of lead water service pipes in approximately 5,140 properties and has been working to replace them during water main relay, abatement and in house excavation projects. The possible existence of lead in approximately 4,660 additional water service lines throughout the City is unknown due to records being destroyed in a fire in the 2000s. According to a 2021 EPA regulation, any line that is unknown or contains partial lead is defined as having lead present and needs to either be replaced or tested to confirm the presence of lead. The City is currently working with Weston & Sampson, an outside engineering firm, to develop a master inventory index with all addresses and service materials present from existing records.

In November, the City will mail out information to residents whose private side service lines have been identified as unknown or potentially containing lead, outlining the City’s plan to test and, if lead is found, remove and replace.

“For a City of our age and with significant growth occurring in the first half of the 20th century, the existence of lead in our water service lines is not a surprise, but it is of concern,” said Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn. “That’s why it’s so important that we secure this grant and continue to work to identify and replace service lines containing lead with the help of our homeowners and free of charge for our residents within the federal and state designated environmental justice areas.”

The water infrastructure throughout the City was installed between the 1900’s and 1950’s as more people moved to the area. As a result, and similar to other surrounding cities of similar backgrounds, the presence of lead or lead lined water services is extensive. Though lead may be present in materials used in water service lines, it does not necessarily mean that elevated levels of lead are present in the drinking water. Medford’s drinking water is thoroughly cleaned and protected from lead corrosion of lines. Typically lead infiltrates drinking water through fixtures, like faucets and water fountains, not through service lines—this is likely the case in the public schools, though the source is still being determined.

Prior the availability of this new EPA grant, the City had been working toward removing as many lead lines, both public and private as possible. The City appropriated funds to incentivize private homeowners to replace the private portion of their lead water services with a $1,000 rebate program. In conjunction with the building department, the City set lead water service abatement requirements for any new development or redevelopment of private properties within the city. The administration is also exploring creating City Ordinances that will require identification of material and the removal of lead at the time a property ownership is being transferred or at the time of the transfer of a tenant, in a multi-family property.

The City should get a decision on its grant application later this month. The Department of Public Works is also exploring additional grant funding sources to help offset project costs and maximize the scope of work.

The City’s Lead and Copper Line Rebate Program is still active and residents are encouraged to enroll to potentially earn $1,000 off water service line replacement costs. Note that spots are limited.