FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2024 
MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Osborne, kevin.osborne@gcww.cincinnati-oh.gov, (513) 516-1966

Congressman Visits Cincinnati Lead Line Replacement
Greater Cincinnati Water Works Awarded $910K in Federal Funding

CINCINNATI – Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) hosted U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman (OH-District 1) today to demonstrate how federal funding assists with removing lead service lines and improving public health.

Landsman visited a home at 3514 Hudson Ave. in Cincinnati’s Evanston neighborhood to observe how a construction crew replaces a lead line. GCWW offers a program to replace publicly- and privately-owned lead lines at no additional cost to property owners. The program is funded with a combination of local, state, and federal money.

Earlier this year, GCWW was appropriated a $910,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s FY2024 Community Project Funding for removal of lead service lines. Rep. Landsman helped advocate for the funding. The money was used toward the replacement of 500 lead lines.

“The presence of lead service lines in older homes is one of the most pressing health issues in Cincinnati and nationally,” said Director Bailey. “We need to remain committed to replacing them all, especially in disadvantaged communities where they are often located.”

Lead is a toxic metal that poses a health hazard, especially to children ages 6 and younger. Among its effects, lead can cause developmental delays and neurological damage in infants and children, and cause high blood pressure, anemia and other ailments in adults.

“Children and families in Southwest Ohio deserve reliable access to clean water,” said U.S. Rep. Landsman. “This investment is essential to protect folks from potential lead exposure, which could lead to serious long-term health effects.”

It is important to note the presence of a lead line does not pose an immediate threat to customers.
GCWW is focused on public health and produces millions of gallons of drinking water daily. There is no lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant or when it is in the distribution system. The risk for lead to enter drinking water occurs if the pipes connecting water mains to the building, indoor plumbing, or interior fixtures are made of lead. However, GCWW uses a special treatment to coat the interior of service lines to minimize the risk of lead leaching into the water.

Cincinnati began requiring the use of copper pipes in 1928 and stopped using lead for public lines at that time. Some service lines on private property still contain lead, and GCWW is working to replace them at no additional cost to customers to ensure public health.

Houses in the section of Evanston visited today were built in the early 1900s.

The only method for fully eliminating the risk posed by lead is to replace lines and fixtures that contain the material. GCWW is working to replace all lead service lines in our service area by 2037.

Since February 2018, GCWW has replaced more than 6,000 lead lines as part of its Enhanced Lead Service Line Replacement Program. GCWW currently replaces about 1,200 lines annually. The amount is expected to increase to about 3,600 annually over the next few years due to changes in federal regulations.

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