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Evanston outlines 20-year lead service-line replacement plan, offers interim programs
Summary
City water official Daryl King said Evanston will begin a 20-year lead service line replacement program in 2027 and described three current programs to reduce lead exposure, including a pilot in low- to moderate-income areas and a homeowner-initiated option.
Daryl King, Water Production Bureau Chief for the City of Evanston, told residents the city will begin a 20-year, citywide lead service line replacement program in 2027 and described interim efforts to reduce lead exposure from household plumbing. "The drinking water is safe, but we're required to send out these types of notifications," King said, adding the city has used a corrosion inhibitor since 1992 to reduce metal leaching from pipes.
The program matters because lead service lines can introduce lead into drinking water when water sits in pipes. King said flushing household taps for a couple of minutes after water has been idle for about eight hours can reduce that risk. "If you have lead service line at your location, flushing is a very, very important part," he said. He also advised residents who prefer point-of-use filters to check that products are NSF 42 certified.
King summarized three current replacement programs that will operate before the 20-year plan begins in 2027 and runs through February 2047: the annual water-main replacement project, a lead service-line replacement pilot, and a homeowner-initiated option. The annual project will replace up to 3.2 miles of water main each year and the associated lead service lines. A pilot project will replace lead services at 50 locations in low- to moderate-income areas; King said sign-ups for that pilot are complete and work will begin this fall. Under the homeowner-initiated program, homeowners may pay to replace private-side service lines and the city will complete the public-side replacement at no charge.
King directed residents seeking more information to the city's replacement website and emphasized both the long-term replacement timeline and shorter-term steps to reduce exposure. "We are in full compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act's Lead and Copper Rule," he said.
No formal votes or regulatory changes were announced during the remarks; King presented operational information and outreach guidance. The city will send material-notice letters to affected addresses in the coming weeks, he said.
