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Mayor: city to begin replacing homeowner lead service lines during 2025 road projects
Summary
Mayor Payne said the city will offer to replace privately owned lead service lines along streets undergoing construction in 2025, starting with East 5th Street, Hammond Avenue and a southern section; funding will be included in those project costs and the city will seek state and federal grants for additional work.
Mayor Payne told the City of Superior Common Council on Jan. 21 that the city will begin replacing residential lead service lines this year, starting by offering to replace homeowner-owned segments where the city opens streets for major reconstruction.
The mayor said the initial 2025 streets in the program are East 5th Street, Hammond Avenue and the southern section (part 2). He said the city will pay to replace the private-side service line as part of each road project, but the homeowner must agree to the work. The mayor said he expects utilities to replace the utility-owned half when a private-side replacement occurs.
Why it matters: Lead service lines are a public-health concern and replacing private-side segments during road work can reduce costs and disruption. Councilors asked about funding, contracting and scope during the mayor’s report.
Funding and scope: The mayor said the replacement cost is being built into project budgets; for the initial projects it will be a modest change order relative to overall construction costs. The city will also pursue state and federal funding for additional replacements where no street projects are planned. If grant funding is not available, the city will cover the cost through project budgets.
Contracting and roles: The mayor said the city expects to contract with independent plumbers for the homeowner-side replacements, similar to how an individual homeowner would hire a plumber. He said Todd Janigo proposed the approach as a way to address many lead-line locations while streets are open.
Questions from councilors: Councilor Herrick described receiving a letter from the local utility indicating his property has a lead line and asked whether the water source (Lake Superior) could be the source of lead; the mayor and staff said lead inventory is distributed and that some residents have been confused by notices. Councilor Sweeney asked about utility responsibilities and contracting; the mayor said he expects the utility to replace its portion when the private-side work occurs.
Next steps: The mayor said the city will coordinate with councilors in affected districts as project plans firm up and will schedule additional briefings, including a potential public works committee discussion to answer detailed questions.
