Lansing is one of only two cities in the United States to have completely replaced their lead service lines and is advising Flint, Michigan in the wake of their drinking water crisis. Scott Hamelink talked about how and why Lansing replaced their lead pipes, focusing on the methods that allowed them to cut the cost of replacement by more than half.

1. Randall Roost Angie Goodman
Principle Planner, Water Operations Water Quality Administrator
Lansing Board of Water and Light Lansing Board of Water and Light
Scott Hamelink
Director, Water Operations
Lansing Board of Water & Light

2. Municipally owned utility
Governed by a Board of
Commissioners who set policy,
approve budgets and rates
Groundwater supplies two water
conditioning plants that use lime-
soda softening on water from
124 wells
22 MGD average daily demand
providing water to 59,000 retail
accounts

3. Took ownership of all water service lines in 1927
Stopped installing LSLs in 1956
As a result of our ownership we developed a fairly accurate record
of service line materials. Our service card files were kept up to
date throughout.
Inventoried all service line materials in 1980s, identifying as lead,
copper, plastic or galvanized steel. Lead and galvanized were
labeled “non-standard”.
In 2004 we asked customers to self-identify LSLs. Vast majority
confirmed our records. Card files were transferred to GIS.

4. All sampling rounds have shown 90th % ile below 15ppb
BWL conditioned water is high pH (9.4), moderate alkalinity (35)
and hardness (98)
Optimal Corrosion Control installed in 1997
Monitoring reduced to 50 locations every three years
Some sampling rounds higher than others
Began accelerated LSLR, public education in 2004

5. Inventory showed about 17,000 LSLs as of the early 1990s
Estimates were based on Customer Information System and GIS
project
Before 2004 lead service lines were replaced as needed.
Developed accelerated LSLR Program, 2004
Proposed 14 year program, but the Board of Commissioners
required that we target 10 years.
Due to slowdown in combined sewer separation project, the
anticipated completion date is now June of 2017.
Current active LSLs remaining estimated at <500,
170 services with unknown materials that will be
investigated to be determined if lead.

6. Any lead service that is physically disturbed by such
things as dig-ins, excavations, or leak repair.
Services supplying schools, day care centers, or other
identified sensitive populations as defined by the
USEPA.
Services where there are sample results in excess of 15
ppb.
Services in the work zone of CSO replacement or
street restorations.
Multiple services within a compact area.
Length of lead pipe present in the service line.

7. 7
46 71 106
172
94
138
631
1632
1573
1669
1984 1974
902
596
388
329
198 210
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Number of LSLs Replaced
Number of LSLs Replaced

8. Coordination with street projects
More difficult and expensive without City Combined
Sewer Overflow (CSO) Separation Project or road
resurfacing
Cost per service goes from $3,500 when coordinating
with CSO to $6,500 without CSO.
Current removal method further reduces costs.
Material Costs
Copper price fluctuations and the Lead Free Act have
some impact but are small relative to street cut
impact

9. Meter location and ownership
House on slab, service line under house, porch, or
driveway
Meter pit conundrum, re: ownership
Crew Mobilization
No partial LSL replacement mandates same-day
completion, leaving us the choice of idle crew or
overtime
Working in the same or adjacent blocks reduces
mobilization costs

10. • Bill stuffers
• Special brochures to schools, day cares, health offices
• Lead information on the BWL web site
• Special meetings and community events
• Neighborhood meetings
• Preparations for customer response FAQs
• Lead Hotline
• Meetings with local media

11. The BWL hosted several community open houses at various locations around the city.
8 Stations were manned at each location:
Station 1 – Information about lead service lines
Station 2 – Identifying lead service lines
Station 3 – Sources of lead
Station 4 – What the BWL is doing
Station 5 – How to protect yourself from lead
Station 6 – Where your water comes from
Additionally there were two other stations. One
manned by staff from the county health
department , and one staffed by the MDEQ.

12. BWL does not repair LSLs…replacements only!
General Customer Outreach
Beginning in 2004 we developed and distributed brochures and articles in bill
stuffers
Conducted Open Houses at local schools and community centers
Added further recommended customer precautions to our Water Quality Report
As LSLR continues there is less concern from the general public
LSLR Notification
Letter is sent to LSL address requesting customer to contact us for an
appointment. The letter explains the process
Letter includes an explanation of the replacement tasks, the need for home
access, BWL and customer responsibilities
Meet with customer prior to or day of LSLR to explain the process, including
follow-up. This helps the customer understand the details.
Emergency Replacements
Used only in special conditions such as service breaks. We speak with the
customer on site.

15. Access
Normally just coordination but ultimately comes down
to a condition of service
Easements
We have not sought easements and therefore must
count on good customer interaction and follow-
through
Through Wall Bore
Potential liability. Occasional disputes can be
expensive

16. Yard Restoration, non-standard installations
Trees, shrubs, plantings, crawl spaces, slab
foundations, porches, driveways, sheds, drywall
interiors, meter access require decisions case-by-case
Budget!
Approximately $42 million has been spent since 2004
LSLs are replaced as a capital project (an investment
into infrastructure)
Rate payers share in the cost and the community has
been generally supportive
We are currently spending on average $3 million per
year on LSLR.

17. No Response
to First
Letter:
Phone Call
Site Visit
Second
Letter Sent
10 Days after
Water
Service is
Turned Off
#1 #2

18. Prior to beginning the actual
replacement of the lead
service there is a substantial
amount of work that must be
done in advance. Scheduling
of the replacement with the
customer can take many
iterations before an
acceptable timetable can be
reached. Then the utility must
coordinate with local Miss-Dig
to locate other utilities in the
excavation areas.

19. The process begins by shutting
off the curb stop to prevent any
water in the system from
entering the customers
premises. This is especially
important to minimize the
transfer of any lead particulate
into the service or the
customer’s household piping
during the excavation of the
corporation at the main.

20. Once the curb stop has been closed
the work can then be divided into two
different work groups. The first work
group can then enter the premises and
disconnect the service from the meter
assembly.
The second work group can then begin
the excavation process at the main to
expose the corporation fitting.
Excavation can be accomplished with either
a backhoe or by using a vacuum excavator.
The advantage of the excavator is that it can
minimize the potential risk to other utilities
that can be difficult to locate or may have
been miss-marked.

21. Of course there is always a lot of
hand digging that must be done as
well. Once the corporation is
exposed the water is shut off at
that location as well. It is
important that the excavation of
the main and the corporation be
controlled to prevent any water or
soils from entering the corporation
or the new service once it is
installed.

22. Meanwhile inside…….
While the excavation continues outside
the employee inside the residence
begins the disconnection of the lead
service and preparing the new copper
for installation. We are also replacing
the water meter at the same time since
we already have access to the property.

23. One of the most important steps
in preparing the new copper line
to ready for installation is the
sealing of the new service before
it is pulled. The end of the
copper pipe is covered with
electrical tape. The pulling sock is
then placed over the end of the
copper pipe. Within the pulling
sock is a small rubber ball that is
pressed against the taped end of
the pipe to further prevent any
potential particulate from
entering the new copper service
during installation.

24. Once the corporation is exposed,
the excavation then moves to the
curb stop. The curb stop is removed
by cutting the lead line on both
sides of the curb stop. Then a line is
fished through the lead line from
the curb stop to the inside and a
3/8” steel cable is pulled back
through the service.

25. The copper pipe is then connected to the pulling harness and the harness is connected to
the steel cable. Using the backhoe, the lead service is pulled out of the ground from the
basement to the curb stop.

26. Once the copper pipe is visible in the curb stop excavation, the process stops to allow
the cable to be removed from the backhoe and it is then rethreaded through the
portion of the lead service line between the curb stop and the corporation. The
backhoe then pulls the copper line through to the corporation excavation. From there
the new copper service is attached to the corporation.

27. Once the copper is attached to the corporation then the copper line is cut in
the curb stop excavation and a new curb stop is installed. Water is then turned
back on for flushing of the new service line before new water meter is
connected.

28. We then provide a set of flushing
instructions to the property owner
for continued flushing of the
premise plumbing, with each tap
flushed for 5 minutes before
moving to the next tap
downstream from the meter.
If the customer requests it a filter
will be provided to them for use for
the next 3 months as an added
precaution.

29. 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
NumberofLeadServices
Lead Service Replacement Schedule to Completion
Actual Projected