Columbus Water and Power outlines free lead and galvanized service-line replacements in Linden

Columbus Water and Power officials told a packed Linden community meeting that nine construction projects in and around the neighborhood will replace lead and galvanized water service lines, and that homeowners will not be billed directly for those replacements.

"The good news is that we don't have detectable lead in our water," said Emily Eskridge, regulatory compliance manager for the Division of Water, Columbus Water and Power. She said the utility samples regularly and runs a corrosion-control program in coordination with Columbus Public Health, but is accelerating service-line replacements both because it views removal as "the right thing to do" and because of a federal requirement to eliminate lead service lines over the next decade.

Officials provided residents with logistics, timelines and safety guidance. Tim Huffman, chief engineer for the division's distribution side, said the nine projects together represent about $50 million in capital and construction-management costs. Huffman said the Division of Water estimates roughly 60,000 service lines remain to be replaced citywide and that the utility plans to replace about 5,000 per year.

Why the replacements and who pays

Officials framed the work as public-health and asset-management work. Eskridge said Columbus has rarely found lead on the private (customer) side of service lines and has mostly found galvanized steel downstream of city-owned lead pipes; the city will treat galvanized service lines like lead because they can collect and release lead particles.

Cameron, a Columbus Water and Power representative moderating the meeting, emphasized the replacements are not an individual tax assessment or a separate bill on a homeowner's account. "It is not a tax assessment and it will not be a bill directly on your bill," he said, adding that the work is paid through the system of water rates that fund utility capital projects.

What residents can expect

Officials said replacements are free to property owners and that, when crews expose a city-side service line during main or related construction, the city will replace the exposed service line at no direct charge. The utility estimated an individual homeowner would pay about $6,500 if they had the work done privately.

Work on a given property typically requires a short water outage while crews transfer the service, officials said. Residents were advised to expect a 6- to 8-hour outage as a planning estimate, though staff said many replacements take 2–4 hours. Huffman said crews attempt a "pull-through" method—pulling a new copper line through the existing service—so that excavation does not extend into homeowners' yards; when a pull-through is impossible (for example, because galvanized lines are corroded), crews will excavate.

Health and post‑work steps

Officials said they will provide a packet and a pitcher water filter to households where service-line work occurs. The pitcher filter is intended as an interim reassurance; staff recommended flushing a household's plumbing after replacement. "A whole-home flush is extremely effective," Eskridge said, explaining crews will run water fixtures in sequence for about 15–30 minutes to create high velocity that clears particulate from new plumbing.

The city also said contractors and city staff will carry photo ID and that contractors will require a clear, safe 3-by-3-foot access area around indoor water meters (typically in basements). Residents were told a person at least 18 must be present for in-home access when a private-side replacement is required.

Timing, scope and neighborhood coordination

Officials said the nine projects discussed at the meeting are part of a wider, distribution‑system program that will eventually address all remaining lead and galvanized materials. Project work was described as being scheduled across the coming year for the areas discussed; residents were encouraged to consult the project's online inventory (columbus.gov/slinventory) or speak with staff at tables after the meeting to get property-specific information.

Construction impacts and restoration

Huffman warned residents that yards, sidewalks and streets will be disrupted during work and that pavement restoration is staged: the division repaves the side of the street where it disturbed the pavement, but full resurfacing is managed separately by the city's public-service department. Weather can delay final restoration—grass reseeding and concrete work may be deferred until appropriate conditions.

Questions from residents and staff answers

Residents asked whether the city will recoup replacement costs when a home is sold or refinanced; staff said it will not. "We will not recoup that money from your property individually if it's sold or if it's refinanced," a utility official said, reiterating that the program is funded through citywide water rates. A resident concerned about increased water use during flushing was told the typical additional charge from flushing is modest—on the order of $5 to $10 for the month when flushing occurs.

Officials also addressed material identification: residents completing the city's online survey should attach photos; utility staff will verify unclear cases and may field‑investigate before work. For older or obscured meters and service lines, crews will pothole at the curb stop to confirm materials prior to replacement.

What the city asked of residents

Staff asked all households in affected areas to complete the online inventory and, where applicable, sign a work agreement authorizing the city to enter and perform the replacement. The city will send a written notice with a 30‑day response window before scheduling property‑specific work, and contractors will contact property owners directly to schedule access.

Next steps

Columbus Water and Power staff said they will continue outreach, provide printed and digital materials, and host open-house tables after the presentation where residents could get property-specific details and sign work agreements. Columbus Public Health and the Department of Development were on site to discuss health and housing resources.

Ending

Staff urged residents to use the provided QR code or visit columbus.gov/slinventory to check their address and to speak with on-site staff for questions about scheduling, materials identification and the work‑agreement process.