Over three-million dollars in federal funding will be used to replace lead pipes in Providence.
The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by Congress earlier this year.
Officials say the intent is to improve drinking water quality for residents.
According to Providence Water, nearly 11-thousand customers have lead pipes.
“Aging lead pipes have long been a serious health concern for communities nationwide, including here in Rhode Island. This $3.3 million earmark is being put to work eliminating lead exposure within the communities that Providence Water serves, including replacing over 730 private lead service lines at no cost to homeowners. There is also additional federal funding in the pipeline to eliminate the threat of lead in aging pipes across Rhode Island,” said Senator Jack Reed who secured the money.
Replacing these pipes will put people to work safeguarding public health and ensuring safe drinking water for all.”
“For children, exposure to even the smallest traces of lead can have serious lifelong effects. More than 700 families will be able to get the lead out of their water at no cost thanks to the federal funding Senator Reed and I secured,” said Senator Whitehouse who led Rhode Island’s lawsuit against lead paint companies while serving as the state's attorney general.
Providence Water estimates that this level of federal funding will facilitate the replacement of more than 31,000 private lead service lines at no cost to homeowners.
(Photo Illustration by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)