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Public Works outlines lead‑line inventory timeline and says sinkholes reflect freeze‑thaw stress on pipes
Summary
Public Works told council the city is identifying lead service lines by 2027 and plans to replace lead lines over a subsequent 10‑year period; the director said winter freeze‑thaw cycles have increased sinkhole and water main break activity.
Public Works Director Michael Alkal updated Bethlehem City Council on the city’s lead-service-line identification and replacement program and addressed recent sinkholes and water‑main breaks.
Alkal said the city’s lead identification effort is an ongoing, long‑term project. Federal guidance requires water systems to identify service-line material by 2027 and then plan replacements; Alkal said the federal timeline effectively gives utilities approximately 10 years after identification to complete removal.
“We do not get a lot of feedback, to be perfectly honest. Out of 37,000 customers, probably less than a couple hundred” have self‑reported potential lead service lines, Alkal said. He added the city conducts lead testing yearly and has used corrosion inhibitors to keep drinking-water lead levels below federal limits for decades.
On sinkholes and recent pipe stress, Alkal described the current winter as more volatile than recent years. “These fluctuating temperatures…tend to create freeze‑thaw conditions and…put stress on the pipes and causes breaks,” he told council. Staff said they inspect breaks quickly, coordinate with inspectors and advise residents on insurance and remediation steps when private property is affected.
Council members asked about whether self‑reports expedite replacements; Alkal said self‑reports are entered into the inventory but do not trigger automatic replacement unless a leak or damage is present. He said the drinking-water tests have met federal lead limits for the past 35 years and the city will continue sampling and corrosion-control treatment.
Alkal said the work will be multi‑year and is part of a nationwide requirement under the Lead and Copper Rule and recent federal guidance. Council asked for continued updates and for staff to include outreach methods to increase homeowner participation in the inventory.
