Arnold, New Kensington to remove final batch of lead pipes from municipalities
The cities of Arnold and New Kensington will remove the final lead pipes across the two municipalities.
These lead pipes affect just under 100 residential properties between the two cities. Construction on these new water lines should be completed by this fall.
Removing old lead pipes from towns and cities has been a huge issue for years, both locally and around the country. Soon, construction will begin in Arnold and New Kensington to remove the last remaining lead pipes that are still in the ground.
While crews worked on replacing a large main water line in one of New Kensington's neighborhoods on Monday, the municipal authority of the city was finalizing plans to put out bids on a lead pipe replacement project.
Ed Saliba, Distribution Superintendent for the New Kensington Water Authority, says the work currently being done on the water main lines and the upcoming lead line work is a big financial win for the community.
"We will be replacing approximately 100 lead service lines in the City of New Kensington and Arnold. I believe there [are] over 70 in New Kensington and a little over 20 in Arnold."
Both projects are being paid for through state and federal grants and loans through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, also known as PennVEST.
This means water rates will not increase to pay for this project.
"Hopefully by the middle of July to the middle of August, we will have a contractor breaking ground to replace the last of our lead service lines in our entire system," Saliba said.
Saliba also said that most of the old lead lines in these two cities were removed years ago. These last remaining lines were overlooked merely because many of these properties had dormant water accounts, and some even had their water shut off.
Saliba says that the water is safe for those who live in the few homes with lead pipes, and that those homeowners will be notified once work begins.
If you live in the New Kensington or Arnold area and have questions about this project, contact the Municipal Water Authority at 724-339-3577.
