September 2008

U.S. Water News Online

WASHINGTON — The board of the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority has voted to curtail a multimillion-dollar program to replace all of the water system's lead service pipes.

The board says the replacement was expensive and that other measures had reduced lead in the city's water. Some critics say the partial replacements were actually just making the problem worse.

The board said it would continue replacing public lead pipes when water mains are being fixed or, in certain cases, when residents want to replace the private section of lead pipe going into their homes.

Officials say the change will save the authority about $197 million over the next seven years.

The board also approved a rate increase of 7.5 percent that will take effect Oct 1.

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