Lead and Lead Service Line Replacement Information

City of Minneapolis sent this bulletin at 11/25/2024 11:21 AM CST

Council Member Jason Chavez

November 25, 2024

A message from Council Member Chavez

Dear neighbor,

Many of you received letters in the mail about your lead service lines. The City's water department is currently proactively replacing lead service lines in the Northside and Southside Green Zones (parts of Ward 9 are in the Southside Green Zone). The City is still in the planning stages of how to tackle the remaining 38,000+ lead service lines throughout the city and plans to publish their plan in 2025. The City is replacing lead service lines failures on a complaint driven basis. So, if there are any mechanical failures or leaks to your lead service line you should reach out to 311 or our office and our Water Department will help you replace the line.

Using new state and federal funding, the City of Minneapolis has started work to replace aging water infrastructure for property owners across the city. The City has completed a citywide inventory of all water service lines. The water service line is the pipe that runs from the water main in the street to the meter inside a property. In Minneapolis, the entire water service line is owned by the property owner.

Residents who have either a lead water service line, a galvanized water service line requiring replacement or a water service line of unknown material will receive a letter from the City. The letter has information about the water service line material, steps that can be taken to minimize lead exposure in drinking water, and an update on the City’s effort to replace lead water service lines. An interactive map of the water service line inventory can be viewed on the City’s website.

Minneapolis water remains safe to drink, however, if anyone is concerned about lead getting into their water through their lead service line, you can request a testing kit at Water Lead Test Kit - City of Minneapolis . If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to our office.

Sincerely,

Jason Chavez

Lead and Lead Service Line Replacement FAQ

Is there lead in Minneapolis tap water?

No, Minneapolis tap water leaves the treatment plant lead-free and is delivered to homes and businesses through a system of steel and iron water mains. These water mains do not contain lead. However, at some older properties, the pipe that connects the property to the water main is made from lead. Because of this, we treat the water in a way that prevents lead from getting in the water. The City adds a compound (orthophosphate) to create a protective coating in pipes.
There are many sources of lead, but drinking water is not a common source of elevated blood levels in Minneapolis.
The City regularly monitors and tests the water for lead – our water meets or is better than all federal and state safety guidelines.
Our water is tested more than 500 times per day to maintain high quality and safety.

Other ways to protect yourself from lead exposure in your drinking water. If your home’s plumbing materials contain lead, you can reduce your risks by following these tips:

Run the cold water before use. If your water has been sitting in the pipes for over six hours, run the cold water for 2 to 3 minutes to bring in fresh water. (When water temperatures are colder, you can feel the temperature change when fresh water has reached the tap.)
Use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula. Hot tap water can have higher levels of lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead.
Clean faucet aerators. Aerators are small screens at the tips of faucets that can collect lead particles.
Filter the water you drink and use for cooking. If you use a water filter, make sure it is certified for lead removal and is maintained properly. Find more information about filter certification at www.nsf.org
After work is done that may have disturbed the protective coating on the pipe delivering water to your home, perform home flushing of your plumbing. See Flushing Your Home Plumbing - City of Minneapolis.

Should I be concerned about having a lead service line?

It is important to note that in Minneapolis, elevated blood lead levels are most often associated with lead exposure from lead paint and dust. Water is rarely the cause of elevated blood lead levels. If you have concerns about childhood lead exposure, check with your family doctor, pediatrician, or health care provider to determine if a blood test for lead is recommended.
For additional peace of mind, the City of Minneapolis offers a free at-home lead test kit for customers. We can send it out to you with instructions for how to collect the sample. Then you send it back to us and we process the sample at our laboratory, then the results are mailed to you. See ‘Water Lead Test Kit Request’ on the City’s web site.

The City’s map indicates I have a lead line but it looks like a copper pipe is coming into my home, are you sure I have a lead service line?

In Minneapolis nearly all water service lines that are characterized in our inventory as “lead” are only lead from water main to the curb stop. The portion from the curb stop to the home was made of galvanized steel. The galvanized steel was more likely to deteriorate and fail over the decades. Prior to 1990, the property owners in Minneapolis could replace the failed galvanized with copper but leave the lead pipe from the water main to the curb stop in place. This lead portion remains and so the service line is classified as lead.

How do I get my lead service line replaced?

In Minneapolis, the water service line is owned by the property owner. As a result of a recent change in State law, public funding can now be used to replace private infrastructure such as water service lines. State and Federal funds are now available for cities and public water systems to begin replacing water service lines on behalf of their customers. In 2024, the City of Minneapolis used these funds to start replacing lead service lines.

How are you determining which neighborhoods and blocks to target for lead service line replacement?
State and federal funding have criteria we must use when we prioritize water service lines for replacement. These include neighborhood factors such as:

Data showing elevated lead blood levels in children.
Neighborhoods with a history of underinvestment and low-income residents.
Streets with scheduled pavement projects to avoid having to repair the street surface more than once and conserve taxpayer dollars.

What impact to my yard and property will this replacement project have?

A common misconception is that we need to dig trench in your front yard to complete the service line replacement. This is NOT the case. To replace your service line, the contractor will dig two 6’ X 6’ utility holes. One over the water main in the street, and another over the curb stop in the boulevard/sidewalk.
The crew will then utilize a small directional drill machine in the utility hole to install the new copper service line. The installation process should not be disruptive to your yard nor landscaping. The replacement will likely be complete within the same day.

How can I apply to have my lead service line replaced?

Across Minneapolis, about 40,000 properties have lead service lines. 2024 was the first summer of a 13-year program to replace them. We are developing the overall program based on the state and federal funding prioritization criteria. At this time, we are unable to say when your property will be in a prioritized replacement area. We will be updating our web page about the program as we have more information available.
If you would like to replace your service line at your own expense now, we continue to offer the option of having the replacement cost assessed to your property taxes over 10 years.” [If interested in paying for their own, take down contact information and refer to Keith Lindsey at Water Distribution, 673-5600 or keith.lindsey@minneapolismn.gov.]

Contact the Ward 9 Office

Email: jason.chavez@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2209

We've moved while work is being done in City Hall. Our office is in:

Room 100, Public Service Center
450 South 4th St.
Get directions

For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users call 612-263-6850. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311.