Utility board approves Arcadis agreement to seek Indiana Finance Authority funds for lead service-line pilot

The Monroe County Utility Service Board unanimously approved a service agreement with Arcadis US Incorporated to seek funding from the Indiana Finance Authority for a lead service-line replacement pilot.

Justin Mescher, the utility’s water quality coordinator, told the board the IFA has allocated federal funds from the Environmental Protection Agency to support lead service-line replacement programs and that the Arcadis agreement will allow the utility to apply for those funds and plan a pilot to replace known lead lines in the distribution system. "They have a large chunk of money from the EPA, to fund lead service line replacement," Mescher said.

Board members asked no substantive questions; the motion to approve the Arcadis agreement was moved and seconded and passed by unanimous roll call.

Mescher said the work would target the utility's currently known lead service lines; specific timelines, project cost estimates and the amount to be requested from the IFA were not specified during the meeting. The agreement was presented as an enabling step to apply for external funding and to design the pilot if funding is awarded.

The board’s action clears staff to pursue IFA funding and to proceed with planning the pilot. The agreement was approved with no recorded votes against. The utility did not announce a timeline for seeking bids or starting replacement work; those steps will depend on funding and design work.