Elgin on track to replace lead service lines in time to meet new federal deadline

Elgin officials say they are on track to meet the new federal timeline to replace all lead service lines in the city.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced this week the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which mandates that beginning in 2027, all lead service lines must be identified and replaced within 10 years.

While drinking water in Elgin is lead-free, roughly 11,000 of the 34,000 households in the city are served by legacy lead water service pipes.

The city started the process of removing and replacing the lines in 2018. It has since removed 2,133 lead service lines at no cost to homeowners so far, according to the lead response webpage. The overall cost of the project is expected to be about $150 million.

The EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes are served by lead pipes nationwide, disproportionately affecting low-income and minority communities. The new mandates also tighten the amount of lead allowed in the nation’s drinking water.

Elgin is on track to remove about 1,000 a year going forward, City Manager Rick Kozal said during a recent event.

Last month, the city announced a partnership with the EPA's “Get the Lead Out” initiative to help identify and replace lead service lines, accelerate the replacement process, and promote lead service line education through increased community engagement.

In July, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi secured nearly $1 million in federal Community Project Funding, enabling the city to replace lead water lines in approximately 70 high-risk households.

Earlier this year, the city also received $1.5 million in state capital funding through state Sen. Cristina Castro and $500,000 through state Rep. Anna Moeller. That was in addition to more than $10 million in interest-free loans the city received from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in April.

For more information about Elgin’s lead service line replacement program, visit ElginIL.gov/lead.