Northwest Wayne News

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) Director Gary Brown was acknowledged in Washington D.C. for Detroit being a national leader in lead service line replacements. Brown joined other national leaders in Washington D.C. to discuss how cities are accelerating lead service line replacement. Detroit stands as a national leader in replacing lead service lines, replacing more than 5,800 lines since the initiative started in 2018 and is on pace to replace at least 5,000 lines this year alone.

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative was proud to attend the White House Water Summit to announce the commitment of Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago, IL, Mayor Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee, WI, and Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit, MI to join the Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership. Through this partnership, the Cities Initiative will work with Great Lakes big cities with the highest lead burdens to expedite lead service line replacement. The partnership will facilitate collaboration among mayors and water utilities to overcome common challenges and replicate success from city to city.

Mayor Johnson of Chicago highlighted the importance of the partnership, stating, "Chicago has more lead service lines than any city in the United States. Through direct exchanges with counterparts in other Great Lakes big cities, the Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership will empower Chicago further with proven strategies to accelerate lead service line replacement in the neighborhoods that need it most."

Mayor Johnson of Milwaukee also expressed the significance of the partnership, saying, "Milwaukee is making meaningful strides in expediting lead service line replacement and promoting equity. The Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership will enable us to showcase this progress across the region and learn new ideas for improving our program from cities facing similar challenges."

Mayor Duggan of Detroit emphasized the city's efforts in lead service line replacement, stating, "In Detroit, we increased our contractor capacity and added employee crews to move from replacing 700 lead service lines per year to more than 5,000 this year with no impact on water rates thanks to state and federal funding. The Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership is the ideal coalition to help us sustain this incredible pace and secure additional funding from the federal government to remove 80,000 lead lines as fast as possible."

The Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership aims to build upon the progress already made by Great Lakes big cities in implementing faster, more equitable lead service line replacement programs. Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit have all taken significant steps to address lead service lines, with Chicago receiving a substantial EPA loan for replacements, Milwaukee committing to a shortened replacement timeline, and Detroit securing funding from various sources for replacements.

Lead exposure via drinking water poses serious health risks, with no safe level of exposure to lead. The partnership's goal is to reduce the risk of lead exposure and ensure that all residents have access to clean, safe, and affordable water. The Cities Initiative, a multinational coalition of local governments, is dedicated to safeguarding the economic, environmental, and social health of communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin.