Press Release

PUC Approves Settlement for Replacement of Customer-Owned Lead Service Lines by Aqua Pennsylvania

Published on 7/15/2021

Filed under: Water and Wastewater

Aqua to Replace up to 200 Customer-Owned Lead Service Lines Per Year Within an Annual Budget of $800,000

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a joint settlement concerning a petition submitted by Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. (Aqua) to replace customer-owned lead service lines (COLSLs) in their water service territory.

The Commission voted 4-0 to approve the settlement and recommended decision issued by PUC Administrative Law Judge Marta Guhl.

Aqua Pennsylvania provides water service to approximately 443,000 customers across 32 counties in Pennsylvania. Under the plan approved today, Aqua is expected to perform up to 200 replacements of COLSLs, within a maximum budget of approximately $800,000 per year.

The settlement includes a two-part replacement program:

• First, Aqua will proactively remove and replace – with the customer’s consent – COLSLs encountered as part of the company’s ongoing water main replacement work.
• Second, Aqua will replace COLSLs at a customer’s request, subject to certain conditions – including verification of the presence of a COLSL and the company’s determination of when the replacement will occur based on various factors such as the number of customer requests, site conditions, contractor proximity and availability of funds within program’s annual budget.

Additionally, for residential customers waiting for lead service line replacement under the second part of this program, Aqua will provide a National Sanitation Foundation approved water filter for lead (pitcher or tap filter), provided that Aqua has verified that the customer has a lead service line and testing from the customer’s tap shows that the water has a lead level above the action level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Aqua will also seek to prioritize low-income customers under this part of the lead line replacement program.

Aqua will also provide reimbursement for customers who recently paid for their own lead service line replacement, under certain conditions.

To promote the program, Aqua will develop an ongoing outreach and communications plan to educate customers about lead service lines and the replacement program – including information about lead exposure and materials to work with consumers who may be hesitant to agree to the replacement of their lead service line.  The consumer outreach will also include information about how consumers can participate in other income-qualified assistance programs.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket No.: P-2020-3021766

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov