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Did the Minnesota Legislature fund the replacement of all lead pipes in the state?

By Jayne Williamson-Lee
NO

The bill, House File 24, was signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz on May 17, 2023, allocating $240 million toward replacing lead pipes that link homes to water systems throughout the state. Its aim is to eliminate lead lines connecting public drinking water by 2033.

Annika Bankston, director of the Minneapolis Division of Water Treatment and Distribution Services, told MPR News that Minneapolis contains approximately 47,000 private lead service lines alone, estimating their replacement cost around $350 million.

The Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota reported in 2019 that the cost to remove lead from drinking water would be more than $4 billion, with a later 2022 report from the Department finding more than 100,000 lead pipes in Minnesota. Even low levels of exposure to lead can be harmful to health, especially in children.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
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