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Council approves $10.025M to continue federally required lead service line inventory and replacement work; accepts state loan offer
Summary
Council adopted a budget amendment to appropriate $10,025,194 for the city’s lead and copper (LCR) service line inventory and replacement program using a mix of loan and principal forgiveness, and approved a companion resolution to accept state revolving fund assistance tied to federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.
Lynchburg City Council approved an amendment to the FY2025 Water Capital Projects Fund budget and authorized staff to pursue low‑cost financing and principal forgiveness offers to support the city’s federally mandated lead and copper service‑line inventory and replacement work.
City staff told council the appropriation of about $10.025 million would be funded through a combination of a low‑interest loan and principal forgiveness available through the Virginia Resources Authority and the Virginia Department of Health’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and related programs. The funds will be used to continue the inventory of service‑line materials and to replace identified lead and certain galvanized service lines on both the public and private sides of the system. Staff said roughly 19,000 service connections currently have unknown service‑line material and that the total 10‑year program cost is estimated at about $30 million.
Council approved both the budget amendment and a related resolution authorizing acceptance of state revolving fund offers; votes on the items were unanimous. Staff said the financing package with principal forgiveness is the most cost‑effective path to meet federal and state regulatory requirements and to reduce lead exposure risk in the drinking‑water system.
Why it matters
Lead service line inventories and replacement programs are federally required under the revised Lead and Copper Rule. Replacing lead service lines reduces health risks and is a multi‑year, multi‑million‑dollar infrastructure program that many water utilities are implementing across the country.
What to watch next
Staff will return with financing closing details and a schedule for inventory completion and prioritized replacements; the city will also need to coordinate outreach to affected property owners for private‑side replacements.
