Rockford event slated to discuss ways to remove lead pipes at low cost
Rock River Current
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BELVIDERE — R1 and the Metropolitan Planning Council will host a public meeting next week to discuss cost-effective solutions to replacing homeowners’ lead pipes.
The meeting is slated for 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 at the Region 1 Planning Council Office, 127 N. Wyman St.
Related: Rockford replaces hundreds of lead water pipes each year. It has thousands to go
The meeting is geared toward homeowners as well as municipalities, neighborhood associations and anyone in the general public. It’s designed to help you discover ways to reduce the cost of replacing lead water service pipes.
The city of Rockford — with the support of state and federal funding —replaces hundreds of lead water pipes each year at no cost to homeowners. But it still has a backlog of thousands.
There are more than 14,000 lead pipes feeding water into people’s homes, and an additional nearly 500 galvanized lines with potential for lead contamination, according to the city’s Water Department. On top of that, there are more than 29,000 lines that have yet to be classified and may require replacement.
Prolonged exposure to lead can cause health problems, especially in children, according to the Mayo Clinic. The biggest risk for youth is in brain development, where lead exposure can cause irreversible damage. Sustained high levels of lead can also damage the kidneys and nervous system for both children and adults.
If you want to check whether the city has identified your house as having lead service pipes, you can go HERE and search for your home address.
