This article is a collaborative effort between Grist, Inside Climate News, and WBEZ a Chicago-based public radio station.
For an extended period, Chicago has faced a significant challenge in addressing its lead pipe infrastructure. With over 412,000 confirmed and suspected lead service lines—the highest of any city nationwide—the city anticipates that the complete replacement of these pipes will not be finalized until 2076, which is 30 years beyond a federal deadline. The presence of lead plumbing is alarming as it can leach toxic metals into drinking water, leading to severe health consequences, such as developmental delays in children and cognitive impairments.
During a recent City Council committee session, officials from the water management and finance departments were scrutinized by aldermen regarding the sluggish pace of lead pipe replacements and an extended delay in alerting nearly one million Chicago residents about the dangers of lead pipes.
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Officials from the water department expressed financial constraints preventing them from adhering to federal timelines. However, Brendan White, the City’s debt manager, revealed that millions of federal and municipal funds set aside for lead pipe replacements remain unutilized. Since 2023, Chicago has only accessed between $70 million and $90 million of an approximate $325 million federal loan designated for lead service line replacements that must be used by next year. White further assured that city officials expect to expedite fund usage in 2026.
Alderman Raymond Lopez of the 15th Ward expressed frustration, stating, “We just found out we’ve got hundreds of millions of dollars sitting somewhere with nobody doing anything.”
State and federal legislation mandates that the city send notifications regarding potential drinking water safety hazards to approximately 900,000 residents, homeowners, and landlords by last November. However, by early July, the city managed to notify only 7% of this population, according to investigative efforts from Grist, Inside Climate News, and WBEZ.
As of the latest committee meeting, Patrick Schwer, the city’s water quality director, reported that the department has sent out roughly 75,000 notifications—equivalent to about 8%—through letters and has included notifications in water bills for an additional 120,000 people, raising the total to about 22%. Schwer mentioned the department is currently mailing about 3,000 letters each week, though it usually records a 10-12% response rate from residents asking for water testing kits. However, he noted that should they dispatch all 900,000 notifications, the department may not be adequately equipped to fulfill the expected demand for test kits.
Furthermore, Schwer voiced skepticism regarding the effectiveness of paper notification letters. “Spending $10 million to send a bunch of letters that people throw in their trash seems like a waste of money when that money should be spent on replacing service lines,” he argued.
Public health experts assert the importance of raising awareness about lead exposure. Communities can take measures to mitigate lead levels in their water, including filtration methods. Chakena Sims from the Natural Resources Defense Council emphasized that it is the city’s duty to keep the public informed, regardless of assumptions about how people will respond to notifications.
In addition to the federal loans, the city has procured its own debt for replacement projects, but utilization remains low. In 2023, the water management department expended about $41.5 million out of a $60 million budget allocated for lead service line replacements. In June, another $72 million was borrowed, of which only $5.4 million has seen any expenditure, leaving around $320 million in available funds.
The city estimates a need of up to $14 billion to fully replace all lead pipes, although experts anticipate lower costs. Activists and researchers advocate for a more robust commitment from the mayor’s office and state lawmakers. Alderman Gilbert Villegas addressed the committee, emphasizing the necessity of immediate action with, “There needs to be a sense of urgency. It’s like this is a ticking time bomb, and we’ve got to ensure that there’s a plan in place and we’re executing the plan.”
In a resolution, Villegas underscored the tardy notifications and the sluggish progress toward replacing the harmful pipes. He highlighted that rising climate change temperatures could exacerbate lead contamination in drinking water, increasing the urgency of this issue.
“This hearing just reiterated that Chicagoans are still waiting a long time to learn about their lead service line status,” stated Gabby Plotkin from the Illinois Environmental Council.
With ongoing uncertainties regarding federal support, city leaders indicated that they would need to be innovative in sourcing local funding options. Alderman Matt Martin expressed concern, stating, “I don’t want to wait another 20 or 25 years until the federal government gets a bunch of leaders in place who are willing to collaborate with us.”
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