- At least 12,000 homes in the area the Metropolitan Utilities District delivers water, the final pipe bringing water into the home is made of lead. 4,000 more are unknown and may be made of lead.
- The MUD board approved a bond to fund replacement of those homeowner-owned pipes.
- It comes as part of a government mandate.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
For at least 12,000 homes in the area MUD delivers water, like these around 50th and Jones for example, the pipe that brings water from the main in the street to the home is made of lead.
Nationwide, the EPA is looking to remove lead from water systems. MUD is moving forward with that program.
According to the MUD website, the pipe that delivers water to these homes is made of lead, a material you don't want in your water, because it's known to cause serious health issues.
Especially if you live in an old home, you might be in the same boat.
Doyle: "Lead is dangerous. It’s a health hazard. And we don’t like it that there are lead service lines in the distribution system. It’s not our distribution system. But that’s just how it was back in the day when they were first installing these."
MUD President Mark Doyle says its not MUD's distribution system because the pipes in question are part of the home instead, and are the homeowner's responsibility. But he says they've already replaced some of the lines during the water infrastructure improvement project.
Doyle: "If we touch it, we replace it. So we’ve been doing that."
Wednesday, the MUD board approved a bond agreement to move forward with the government mandated program.
The goal is to remove all of the lead pipes in the next decade by 2034. They anticipate the overall cost will be $157 million dollars. Now, they’re starting with a 40 million dollar loan, and believe more than half of it will be forgiven by the government.
MUD says the only lead in the distribution system is in those homeowner-owned pipes. It says it is not in the source water or treated water.
On the MUD website, you can check in MUD thinks it's a lead pipe where you live.
Reporting In Omaha, I’m Aaron Hegarty.
Correction: This story was updated to correct the name of the MUD president.
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