The Cleveland City Council Utilities Committee approved an emergency ordinance to authorize the Department of Public Utilities to manage year four of the city's lead and galvanized service-line replacement program and to apply for related loan and grant funding.

Introduced as Ordinance 5322025, the measure authorizes the director to employ consultants, purchase materials and award contracts to replace customer-side copper service lines and city-owned portions where applicable, and to apply for Water Supply Revolving Loan Account loans, grants and other funding for the program.

Director and department staff briefed the committee on the program's progress and federal funding. The director said year one of the program completed approximately $30 million in replacements and year two likewise was about $30 million. Year three is currently in procurement and staff estimated it could be about $70 million to $90 million. The director said the city nominated year four for funding in March and expects state approval in June or July 2025.

The committee heard technical background from the commissioner for the Division of Water about treatment and safety. The commissioner explained the city has added orthophosphate to treated water since 1997 to reduce lead release from service lines, and said Cleveland's lead results are well below the federal action level. “The current federal limit is 15 parts per billion lead. We're, like, under 3. We're 2.5, something like that. We're well below the federal limit,” the commissioner said.

Committee members asked about the size and duration of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding and whether it could be "clawed back." Staff said the state of Ohio administers the federal funds through its EPA office and that, as of the meeting, the department has no indication the allocated funds will be withdrawn; the committee was told the state allocation is about $738 million. The commissioner and director said the program is proceeding on the expectation year four funding will be available.

Council members also asked about the total remaining city-owned lead connections. Staff said their best estimate for city-owned portions is about 30,000 service connections remaining; the department said total system counts and a neighborhood-level map are available on Cleveland Water's website and that specific customers receive direct written notice when they are in the work area.

The committee approved the ordinance. Staff told members that the program has replaced roughly 7,600 service connections to date systemwide and reiterated that the federal regulatory schedule currently aims for full removal of lead service lines by 2037 under the revised Lead and Copper Rule, creating impetus to use available federal dollars aggressively.

Council members and staff also discussed operational issues for vacant or inactive properties and the city's approach: if a service has been inactive for many years, reactivating it can cause a temporary spike in lead levels; in such cases the department may treat the location as requiring a new connection unless the property owner can demonstrate the material of the existing lateral.

The ordinance passed at committee; staff will proceed to finalize procurement plans and to apply for and accept state-administered federal funding as authorized.