At a recent meeting, Councilwoman Katrina Wilson asked Public Works Director Willis Shafer and City Manager Chris Coleman if there could be a public information or question and answer session about the lead pipe issue in town.
“Will there be any other information coming out?” Wilson asked. “Because people have questions that I can’t answer, and I don’t just want to send you a million people. I think everyone may be concerned. It may not be an issue, but they just don’t understand what they are supposed to do or not to do.”
Shafer explained that the city was working with KCI Technologies to help develop the program and once they have more information as well as a better handle on the EPA requirements, there will be a presentation to council.
“We did meet our EPA required responsibility to send out letters and that usually generates a lot of concern,” Shafer said. “There is conflicting information on actually how many houses there are in inventory that may have lead piping, especially in the older sections of the city. So we are currently working again with KCI to determine exactly what issues we need to address, and in the next couple of months, we will be able to present some information to council.”
Wilson asked if there could be a public question and answer session when it came before council.
“I think we should allow our constituents to ask questions,” Wilson said. “After we receive that information, without watering it down, but we want to give them correct information. We don’t want to misinterpret it. We want to be able to answer those questions in a direct form. I don’t need an answer today, but I would like you to look into it.”
Shafer and Coleman stated they would look into the possibility.
“And to follow up on that, is it safe for the children?” Wilson said. “Because the biggest concern I get is can I give this to my children? Can my little people drink this water. That is why this is so important.”
Shafer explained that the city regularly tests water value and there is no issue regarding lead in city water. Any constituent who is worried about water quality in their home can reach out to Public Works for water testing to assure the water in their home is safe.
The lead pipe program that Wilson was referring to is a 2024 agreement with the Delaware Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to proceed with the issuance of a zero percent loan in the amount of almost $2.8 million to be used for lead pipe remediation in underserved communities in Milford.
“They were pretty generous with it in our conversation at the meeting and they were very in favor of this because of the high percentage of lead pipes in underserved communities,” then-City Engineer James Puddicombe said. “At the end of the project, the principal balance of the loan would be forgiven.”
The loan would be used to replace identified lead pipes between the city water lines and the water meter at no cost to the property owner. Prior to this agreement, the city was awarded a $2 million grant for the same project, but the money had to be returned as property owners refused to allow the pipe replacement. When asked why a property owner would refuse to allow the replacement, Mayor Todd Culotta explained that it was likely concern about returning the property to how it looked previously.
“I think the concern is, like my house for example, it is elevated off the street. If you do this, you’re not only gonna go through the sidewalk, but also through the retaining wall around into my basement,” Culotta said. “Do I trust the city to put it all back the way it was out there? Those are legitimate concerns. We can say, that’s fine, looks good to me. But every house has to be a case-by-case scenario.”
Then-City Manager Mark Whitfield stated that the other issue the city had was that this program only replaced pipes from the city water system to the water meter. He reminded council that in an older home with lead pipes leading to the meter, it was highly likely that the pipes inside the home were lead as well. The city would not replace those pipes.
Puddicombe stated that there were 610 homes identified where lead pipes leading into the home were likely. Then-Councilwoman Lori Connor was concerned that if half the 610 property owners chose not to allow the replacements, the city would be required to repay the loan. Councilwoman Madula Kalesis asked if that happened, could the remaining funds be used for other projects.
“I think the state would have some hefty heartache over that,” Puddicombe said. “It really needs to be directed toward what is written in the grant, which would be focused on that lead remediation, the funds roll from the federal government to the state, so they would have heartache over it.”
According to Finance Director Lou Vitola, the city would repay any funds not forgiven if they were not used within five years and that there would need to be a referendum for the repayment.
Research indicates that 10 percent of Delaware school children do have higher levels of lead in their blood than is recommended. The CDC recommends levels under 3.5 ug/dl. There is evidence that this higher level is due to the older housing stock in towns like Milford.
“If I may, this seems like a wonderful way to address a health and safety issue, particularly for an underserved community,” Councilwoman Nadia Zychal said. “And at zero percent, I see no downside.”
