Minnesota’s East Metro is removing lead pipes by starting where the risks—and the barriers to replacement—are greatest.

Saint Paul Regional Water Services launched Lead Free SPR in 2022 with 26,000 lead service lines across the 14 communities it serves. General Manager Racquel Vaske says the utility expects to have replaced 6,500 by the end of this construction season—one-quarter of the original total.

The order of replacement is driven by an equity model that combines EPA environmental justice data with the percentage of children under age five in each census block group. The utility says it has already completed work in neighborhoods receiving its two highest priority scores.

The investment is also being used to expand the local workforce. Saint Paul Regional Water Services created an internal utility training program, partnered with area contractors, and divided bids into sizes that smaller businesses can realistically pursue.

That approach directs limited funding toward residents least able to finance replacement themselves while ensuring more of the construction spending remains in the community.

Saint Paul Regional Water Services is one of 16 honorees recognized by the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative for excellence in removing lead service lines and reducing the risks of lead exposure. Learn more at https://www.lslr-collaborative.org/honoring-excellence-in-lsl-replacement.html

Content supported by the Environmental Policy Innovation Center and Environmental Defense Fund.

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