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East Grand Forks City to resubmit lead service-line PPL after state funding shortfall
Summary
Commission staff said the city will resubmit a Projects Priority List (PPL) to the Minnesota Department of Health limited to eight known lead service lines and pursue technical-assistance grant funding to reduce statewide 'unknown' service lines; earliest construction funding likely in 2026.
The Water and Lake Commission on March 5 agreed to resubmit a Projects Priority List (PPL) to the Minnesota Department of Health focused on eight known lead service lines in East Grand Forks City and pursue a separate technical-assistance grant intended to reduce the number of "unknown" service lines across Minnesota, staff said.
Commission staff said the state indicated available funding will be insufficient to cover the city's initial broad request, so the PPL will be narrowed to the eight confirmed lead service lines identified in East Grand Forks City. The Department of Health is also offering a round of technical-assistance grants to help cities investigate and reduce the count of unknown service lines through record review and home inspections.
Steve (staff member) told commissioners that the city originally requested funding to investigate about 330 unknown service lines but was asked by the Department of Health to limit the resubmission to the eight confirmed lead service lines. "We'll be resubmitting that PPL, with just those 8," he said. He added that, given the funding outlook, "I think the earliest funding would be...construction season 2026."
The commission heard that the state's first-round inventory found roughly 280,000 unknown service lines statewide, creating demand for additional investigative work. Steve said the Department of Health has opened a technical-assistance application period that is due March 14; Keith (staff member) has already submitted an application on the city's behalf.
Staff described possible future investigative techniques the Department of Health may fund in later rounds, including potholing to verify service-line materials. Commissioners and staff discussed coordination among local staff — Steve said he met with Keith, Todd, Brianna and others earlier in the week to explore options for further reducing unknowns in the city's inventory.
Next steps: staff will resubmit the PPL limited to the eight confirmed lead service lines, track the Department of Health's technical-assistance application outcomes, and follow up as additional funding rounds are announced.
