Muskegon outlines plan, timeline and funding for lead service line replacements

Dan Vanderheide, director of public works for the City of Muskegon, told commissioners Monday that the city will systematically replace lead water service lines across the city using a mix of contractor-led neighborhood projects and targeted city work.

Muskegon’s water “is safe,” Vanderheide said, adding the city “has never exceeded the levels authorized by the EPA or the State Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.” He said occasional tests show small amounts of lead but always below levels the EPA considers dangerous. Still, Vanderheide said, “no amount of lead in the water is a good thing,” and the city must act under state and federal rules.

The presentation explained how work is paid for: the city applies to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) for 20-year loans, sometimes with partial principal forgiveness or grants. Vanderheide said the most recent offer from the state included roughly 25% principal forgiveness; the remainder is paid from the water system’s revenues and, ultimately, rates. He warned that if grant/forgiveness levels…