Got lead pipes? Here’s how they’ll be replaced in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Lincoln officials announced a new initiative Thursday to replace lead water pipes across the capital city.

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said the program will promote health and safety in Lincoln.

It’s part of a new rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which seeks to replace every lead water pipe in the nation.

The city received a $32.6 million loan for the project from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, which got the money from the federal government.

“Thanks to this historic funding opportunity made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, our City of Lincoln teams have big plans in the pipeline to ensure that every pipeline in our community is free of lead and provides safe, healthy water for our children and families for years to come,” Gaylor Baird said in a press release. 

The program’s first phase is launching in the spring, and city officials hope to replace 200 lead pipes this year.  The service is free to homeowners.

Those first 200 properties were identified using criteria recommended by the EPA, including blood levels in children and the risk of lead exposure.

Property owners will be contacted via mail, and the city will schedule in-home inspections before contract plumbers finish the work.

The Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department has identified nearly 6,000 Lincoln properties eligible for pipe replacement.

The loan is expected to cover the cost of only about 2,000 lead pipe replacements over the next five years.

Anyone with questions about the program can call 402-441-7551.