New legislation could help Pittsburgh homeowners faced with cost of replacing water pipes

PITTSBURGH — A new bill sent to Pennsylvania’s House after passing the Senate could help Pittsburgh homeowners who are faced with the decision of either drinking safe water, or costly repairs.

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority says lateral lines running into older homes are to blame for elevated lead levels.

For nearly 40 years of living on Holmes Street in Lawrenceville, Nancy Coleman never hesitated to drink the water. But she recently learned from the PWSA that a pipe going through her home could be raising the lead in her water to unsafe levels.

"He told me we could hire a plumber for $6,000 to replace this little piece of pipe,” she said. "I told him no thank you. I would rather take a vacation."

Coleman is part of a growing number of PWSA customers are being asked to choose between safe drinking water, or a repair bill costing thousands of dollars.

Pennsylvania law puts the responsibility of replacing lateral lines on the homeowner.

“Unfortunately, a lot of folks can't afford it. But a lot of folks aren't even aware of it,” Sen. Wayne Fontana (D - Allegheny County) said.

For that reason, Fontana is pushing a bill in Harrisburg to give local governments the ability to help customers facing the difficult choice.

"They could create a fund. We can look for other money to try to help, possibly from the state and federal government, for this specific issue,” he said.

The bill overwhelmingly passed the Senate and will be considered by the House in September.

Coleman said it likely won’t change her mind about the repair costs because she’s on a fixed income and believes there isn’t enough lead in her water to cause any harm.

"I couldn't afford that anyway. I've been drinking this water. I'm 71 years old. If it affected me, I don't know,” she said.

The needed repair requires crews to tear up the sidewalk and, in some cases, more. PWSA recommends homeowners with lead pipes make the repair while roads are being fixed, so that it will cost less.

Cox Media Group