Latest news with #DrinkingWaterStateRevolvingFund
Chicago Tribune
10-05-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin plans to replace lead water lines at another 1,000 homes this year
Over the last three years, the city of Elgin has replaced 2,500 lead water service lines going into residents' homes at a cost of more than $30 million. As the program heads into its fourth year in June, the city's goal is to tackle another 1,000 houses, the price of switching out lead lines for copper about $16.5 million, according to Elgin Water Director Nora Bertram. 'We've done a lot of work to get here. We are continuing full steam ahead,' Bertram said. Full steam ahead until the approximate 10,000 houses believed to have lead lines are addressed and the potential problem of lead leaching into the water eradicated. If they stay on course, the project could be finished by 2027, Bertram said. Houses built before the mid-1980s routinely used lead pipes, or service lines, in construction. The lines tap into the city's main water pipeline in the street and route water into homes. Typically there's little fear of lead contaminiation because of calcification, the process through which minerals in the water build up inside the pipes and form a layer over the lead, experts say. The problem comes when pipes are jarred through underground construction or other actions, which can result in lead particles being released into the water, causing serious health problems for people — especially children — who consume it. Officials stress the city's water supply does not contain lead, and only those houses with lead services lines have the potential for lead to be present. For that reason, the city has been providing free water filters to property owners with lead lines who request them. (Using the water for other purposes, such as bathing, does not pose a risk because lead cannot be absorbed through the skin.) The existence of residential lead service lines is not one that's limited to just the city of Elgin or even the state of Illinois. Federal and state mandates are requiring all lead service lines throughout the country be replaced by 2037. In Elgin, the city's been footing the replacement bill — estmated at $10,000 to $11,000 per home — with the help of state and federal grants and loans, including the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and money provided through the American Rescue Plan Act. The city has also sold bonds to help cover the costs and raised the city's water and sewer rates to generate more revenue for the work and for other water and sewer projects. Bertram said the water department is always looking for grant and loan opportunities to help offset the cost, but it can be tough to secure with so many municipalities vying for the money that's available. 'It's definitely becoming more competitive as more communities start implementing their programs,' she said. 'We still have been able to get the funding we've asked for.' Elgin has been trying to position itself to be more attractive as a grant recipient by making its program as efficient as possible, Bertram said. Line replacement began in 2018, before it became a state mandate, and the city has systematically been going neighborhood by neighborhood as a means of combining and reducing costs. An online website shows where construction will be done in the upcoming year. Property owners are notified when the program is starting in their area, and meetings are held with residents to ensure they understand what's going to happen and to answer questions, Bertram said. For the work to be done free of charge at their home, a property owner must sign up on the city's website and fill out required paperwork, including a temporary easement that allows construction crews to do work on private property. Filling out paperwork may be intimidating, but 'if people are nervous about signing it, we will talk them through it,' Bertram said. 'It does take some talking with people and making sure they are comfortable with it.' While there have been some property owners who haven't participated, 'we get a really good response rate,' she said. 'The number of people who have said no is a very low percentage.' Last year, Elgin started working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to identify and accelerate lead pipe replacement work through an initiative called Get the Lead Out (GLO). GLO has helped the city with public outreach by creating public outreach materials, including translating information into Spanish and Lao, Bertram said. Its consultants also help with filing federal grant applications, she said. Tiffany Reed, an EPA consultant, spoke at a recent Elgin City Council about GLO's efforts to promote the city's voluntary water testing program, identify areas where there are likely to be a high number of lead service lines, and verify the accuracy of historical records and visual inspections of lines. Community engagement is one of GLO's central missions, Reed said. Its representatives will be available to answer questions at the Downtown Elgin Farmers Market on May 30, June 27 and July 25, she said. The best marketing is word of mouth, Bertram said. People who've had their lines replaced should share their experience with friends and neighbors to explain how it works and to alleviate some of the fears, she said. Any property owner who has questions about the lead service line replacement program also can call 311, she added. 'We have a lot of staff who have been doing this for four years and are very well versed on any questions,' Bertram said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kennewick water again found tainted with ‘forever chemicals.' What to know
For the second spring in a row the city of Kennewick has detected a 'forever chemical' in its drinking water that is above the action level set by the Washington state Board of Health. The Washington state Department of Health recommends that Kennewick city customers who are pregnant, breastfeeding or mixing infant formula with tap water consider using another source of water. Water sampled March 4 from its Ranney Collector source near the blue bridge had 16.7 parts per trillion of a certain type of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are synthetic chemicals used in consumer products around the world since the 1950. They are sometimes called forever chemicals because they may last forever in the environment. The finding follows water tested a year ago from the same city water source that was found to have 17.4 parts per trillion of PFAS. The state limit is 15 parts per trillion, and under a Biden-era plan, the Environmental Protection Agency could take enforcement action starting in 2029 if 4 parts per trillion of PFAS are detected. The chemicals are present in city water in very small quantities, said Jeremy Lustig, Kennewick deputy director for public works. One part per trillion is equivalent to a single drop in enough water to fill 20 Olympic sized swimming pools. The issue may be cyclical, showing up in the spring, Lustig said, after March samples two years in a row exceeded state levels of concern. But data to show trends is still limited. The city has been following recent requirements to check water for PFAS four times a year. The city is working with engineers at Hazen Sawyer on a treatment facility at the blue bridge water collector source to address PFAS, with design work on the project starting now. The goal is to have the facility treating water before April 2028, Lustig said. The project will cost an estimated $20 million to $30 million, and the city has recently received an award of $15 million in federal money from the Washington Department of Health Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan program. The Washington state Department of Health says that scientists are still studying how PFAS affect people's health, with much of the information available from toxicity testing in laboratory animals. But higher exposure over many years to the type of PFAS detected in Kennewick water is believed to pose a risk of problems with cholesterol, liver, thyroid, kidney or immune systems or to having babies with lower birthweights. Almost all Americans have some type of PFAS in their blood, according to the Washington state Department of Ecology. Children up to age 5 and people who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding may be more vulnerable to health impacts from these chemicals, the Department of Health said. Boiling water does not reduce PFAS. But some home water treatments are effective, including reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters certified to lower levels of PFAS. Some bottled water also may contain PFAS. The Washington state Department of Health recommends looking for brands that have been purified with water filtration. PFAS chemicals are tasteless, colorless and odorless. They build up in animals, fish, birds, plants and people, taking many years to leave people's bodies, according to the Washington state Department of Health. They are produced to make many products, including stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, nonstick pans, fast food wrappers, grease-proof food containers, waterproof clothing and a particular kind of firefighting foam. PFAS in firefighting foam is a key suspected source of PFAS-contaminated drinking water in Washington, according to the state Department of Ecology. Over many years of manufacturing and use, the chemicals have been released into the environment from industrial plants, fire training sites, consumer products and other sources, according to the city of Kennewick. Once released, PFAS do not break down easily and last for a long time in the environment, it said.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DANR announces nearly $140 million for statewide environmental projects
Mar. 28—PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) announced Thursday that the Board of Water and Natural Resources has approved $139,791,400 in loans and grants for projects related to drinking water, wastewater and solid waste in South Dakota. The $139,791,400 total consists of $121,686,200 in low-interest loans and $18,105,200 in grants to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "Safe and reliable water, wastewater, and solid waste infrastructure is essential for protecting our natural resources and building stronger communities for future generations," DANR secretary Hunter Roberts said in a press release. "I want to thank the Board of Water and Natural Resources for approving the funding recommendations." Among the recipients of funding was Mitchell. Mitchell received a $2,350,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan to upgrade wastewater and stormwater facilities along East Fifth Avenue from Burr Street to Foster Street. The loan terms are 3.5% for 20 years. Additionally, the city received a $1,325,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan to upgrade water infrastructure along East Fifth Avenue from Burr Street to Foster Street. The loan terms are 3.25% for 30 years. The community also received a $241,500 Solid Waste Management grant to assist in purchasing a new tractor-scraper for the landfill. Funds were awarded through various programs, including DANR's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Clean Water State Revolving Fund, Consolidated Water Facilities Construction Program, Water Environment Fund, and Solid Waste Management Program. The funding is part of the state's broader efforts to improve water and waste infrastructure across South Dakota. Other communities benefiting from the funding include: Huron received a $192,500 Solid Waste Management grant to purchase a yard waste collection truck. This truck will also be used as a secondary recycling collection vehicle. Oacoma received a $1,657,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan to improve its wastewater treatment facility and collection system. This funding is for the second of five phases, which address the downtown lift station. The loan terms are 3.75% for 30 years. Platte received a $19,700 Solid Waste Management grant to purchase two recycling trailers. This will reduce solid waste volume at the source and increase recycling within the community, as it is not currently offered. Wessington Springs received a $1,245,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan to improve their wastewater treatment system. These improvements include the drainage system around the ponds, reshaping and stabilizing pond berms, and replacing electrical and mechanical components of the lift station. The loan terms are 3.75% for 30 years. Wessington Springs also received a $1,565,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan with $1,259,000 in principal forgiveness to replace approximately 3,800 feet of asbestos cement and cast-iron pipe. This will complete the city's ongoing transition to PVC pipe. The loan terms are 3.0% for 30 years. Appropriations from the Water Environment Fund and Consolidated Water Facilities Construction Program are funded in part by revenues from the Petroleum Release Compensation Tank Inspection Fee and the sale of lotto tickets. These appropriations provide funding for water, wastewater, and watershed projects. The legislature annually appropriates dedicated water and waste funding for the Consolidated Water Facilities Construction Program through the Governor's Omnibus Water Funding Bill. The Solid Waste Management Program provides loans and grants for solid waste disposal, recycling, and waste tire projects. The legislature annually appropriates dedicated funding for the Solid Waste Management Program through the Omnibus Water Funding Bill. The State of South Dakota and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fund the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs, which provide low-interest loans for wastewater, stormwater, water conservation, nonpoint source projects, and public drinking water system projects. The programs are funded through a combination of federal appropriations, loan repayments, and bonds. The board approved the funding at Thursday's meeting in Pierre.
