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Officials are hunting for leaded water pipes throughout older neighborhoods in North Dakota. This begins the multi-million dollar process of replacing lead service lines ahead an upcoming federal deadline in November 2027.
Under the EPA’s 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, every water system was required to submit an inventory of service lines by October 2024. The North Dakota Monitor reports that North Dakota has fewer than 20,000 lead service lines, significantly fewer than its neighbors; Minnesota has up to 150,000, but older cities like Mandan, Fargo, and Bismarck are bracing for a “headache” of complex replacements.
The Monitor reports that replacing a single service line can cost between $8,000 and $12,000. The state will be utilizing nearly $30 million in annual federal funding through this year, and low-interest state loans.
Thousands of lines remain classified as “unknown” material. In Mandan, 2,770 lines are still unverified. Officials urge property owners to cooperate with door-to-door surveys and inspections to speed up the process.
Some older areas in Jamestown are known to have lead service lines, and construction to replace them will begin as early as this summer, according to the Jamestown Sun. Residents in these locations were sent a letter notifying them in late January.
Until a line is replaced, health officials recommend running cold water in the morning before use, clean faucet aerators of debris regularly, use filters certified to remove lead, and have children’s blood lead levels checked by a physician.
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