GRWA hears report on lead pipe replacement case

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ramsay — The Gogebic Range Water Authority Board on Thursday discussed the challenges of possibly absorbing replacement costs for residential lines if they are contaminated with lead from the municipal water system.

In his report, Chuck Lawson of C2AE — the water authority’s engineering firm — said the Michigan Court of Claims on Thursday rejected a legal challenge to Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule that requires cities and municipal water systems to remove lead or galvanized water lines, including from the curb to the home, that were ever in contact with lead.

“The judge ruled that the Headlee Amendment did not apply,” Lawson said. “Municipalities have a choice to provide water and they don’t have to do it.”

This will require the water authority replace service lines all the way to a resident’s home if there was any chance it was ever contacted with lead, he said. There will be another attempt to appeal the decision but there are not many legal avenues left, he said.

The challenge for the water authority is that the cost of replacing the residential portion of the lines will not be covered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture grants that are typically used to replace water mains in municipal projects, such as the Bessemer utility construction project, he said. There are examples of how water utilities around the state have been able to make up costs including long-term water billing or loans, he said.

The water authority will have to assess all lines over the next two years, he said. From what the engineering of the current lines indicates if there is any lead in the system if would be from a gooseneck ring on and old cast iron main, he said.

The water authority would have 20 years to replace substandard lines, he said. That would mean replacing about 5% per year, he said.

The positive side is that the water authority’s lead and copper testing results showed very good results, said Jean Verbos, water authority administrator. Many of the member communities have had substandard residential water lines replaced as part of all municipal projects since 2000, she said.

In her report, Verbos said she attended the 47th annual Michigan Section of the American Waterworks Association in Harris. She also attended the Michigan Rural Water Conference Seminar on preventing catastrophic occurrences at Indianhead Mountain resort.

In other business, the water authority approved 9-0 with members John Granato and Tim Mackin not present:

—Authorizing signatures on C2AE invoice of $7,266 for the city of Bessemer construction project.

—A C2AE invoice of $7,299 for the city of Bessemer construction project.