Replacing lead pipes in an older community can cost more than $100 million—and local leadership determines whether that challenge becomes a plan.
Mayor Nathaniel George Booker has made lead service line replacement a public-health priority in Maywood, Illinois, building partnerships with Cook County, the National League of Cities, the National Center for Healthy Housing, and federal agencies.
The village replaced 44 lead service lines with copper lines in 2024. Work expanded in 2025 along 19th Avenue, where lead pipes on private property are being replaced as part of a broader street improvement project.
Maywood is also participating in EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative, which provides technical assistance to identify lead pipes, engage residents, and pursue funding. Local partnerships have extended the work into homes, schools, and child care facilities, where reducing lead exposure is especially important for children.
The approach addresses a frequent weakness in replacement programs: stopping at the property line. Full replacements remove lead-bearing pipe across both the public and privately owned portions of the service line.
Booker’s role has been to elevate the issue, assemble partners, and connect drinking water improvements with Maywood’s broader investment in healthier neighborhoods.
Mayor Nathaniel George Booker is one of 16 honorees recognized by the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative and received its Elected Leader award. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e8sKJvBc
Content supported by Environmental Defense Fund, RESOLVE, and Environmental Policy Innovation Center.
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