Project Overview

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Blue Earth Light and Water (BELW), in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health and Bolton & Menk, Inc., plan to complete a water service replacement project initiating in 2024 and culminate in 2026. Construction is scheduled to be phased between June 2025 through August 2026. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) are requiring communities to document all lead and galvanized water service lines in their system. It is also expected that these lead and galvanized services will need to be replaced over a 10-year span.

Communications will be going out to all properties who have been identified to have lead or galvanized water service lines either through past construction, old records, or by visual inspection. Currently, there is funding available through the Minnesota Department of Health to help remove lead and galvanized water service lines. This funding will cover all external costs of replacing water service lines from the property line to the meter in the house. Interior finished work such as woodwork, tiling, carpeting, drywall, painting, etc. is not expected to be covered by the grant. However, interior finished work is less common where water service lines enter a home. While this funding benefits residents, it must go through the public water system (BELW). For this reason, BELW has partnered with Bolton & Menk Inc., and are taking a proactive approach by offering this opportunity to you.