PWSA Removes Lead From Water Mains, Replaces Serivce Lines

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - More than 30 Pittsburgh streets will get new concrete, asphalt or both this week as Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority continues to remove the lead from its distribution system.

PWSA Board Chairman Paul Leger estimates they are doing about 1,000 homes a year. Even at that rate, he says to get the job done, it will be "about 2027, I'd expect them all to be out."

The crews doing the 30 streets this week will move on to a new batch next week.

"I'm glad it's being done," says Jeff Holtman as he sits on his front stoop watching the crews work on Bishop Street in Morningside.

He's glad PWSA is getting the lead out: "When I was growing up they never thought about it. I've been here for 67 years."

Leger says PWSA is removing the lead from the service lines that connect homes to the water mains. Service lines include a public portion that run from the street to the curb, and a private portion that run from the curb into the home.

"Because if you just replace the lead lines in the street that belong to us and didn't do the lines that go into the house, you might as well not do it. You're still taking lead into the house," he says.

Holtman knows the value of the PWSA connection, saying, "If I would have it done professionally, it would have cost me $10,000 or more."

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But Leger says they are hitting continual snags trying to get permission from private property owners to do the work.

"Landlords are not always available. Some live in Florida or Arizona or someplace like that. It's not easy to get their signature."

So if you live in a rental property and know PWSA is coming down your street, you are encouraged to contact your property owner and make sure they have made the connection with PWSA to replace the service line to your building.

Even with that, Leger says PWSA can only go so far.

"We don't do people's interior plumbing because we can't," he says.

He suggests if your home is of older construction, you should get someone to check the pipes inside your home to make sure the clean water you'll be getting from the main isn't contaminated by your own antiquated pipes.

Here's the full list of where PWSA will be replacing lead water service lines from Aug. 26 to Aug. 30:

Northside:

• Kenn Street (North Charles Street – dead end)
• Lyzell Street (East McIntyre Avenue – Lawton Avenue)
• Maple Avenue (Hawkins Avenue – dead end)
• North Charles Street (Hazelton Avenue – Brighton Road)
• Chautauqua Court (Chautauqua Street – Irwin Street)
• Langley Street (Clayton Street – dead end)
• Mclintock Street (Perrysville Avenue – dead end)

Greenfield/Squirrel Hill:

• Alderson Street (Maeburn Street – Tilbury Avenue)
• Forward Avenue (Beechwood Boulevard – Murray Avenue)
• Tilbury Avenue (Shady Avenue – Beechwood Boulevard)
• Beechwood Boulevard (Nicholson Street – Forward Avenue)

Homewood:

• Hamilton Avenue (North Dallas Avenue – North Braddock Avenue)

South Side Slopes:

• 912 Climax Street
• Edgemont Street (Craighead Street – Beltzhoover Avenue)
• 632 McLain Street
• 823 Proctor Way
• Hartford Street (Arlington Avenue – dead end)

Mount Washington:

• Greenbush Street (Cowan Street – Boggs Avenue)
• Southern Avenue (Lelia Street – Cowan Street)
• Paul Street (Boggs Avenue – dead end)
• Lelia Street (Boggs Avenue – dead end)
• Smith Way (Boggs Avenue – Westwood Street)
• Penelope Street
• Chess Street