THIS MORNING, A $7.6 MILLION CONTRACT WAS APPROVED FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL TEST WATER LINES IN BOTH THE CITY AND COUNTY FOR LEAD. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TOLLY TAYLOR IS LIVE IN THE EDITORIAL OFFICE RIGHT NOW. AND TOLLY, THERE'S SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS HERE. YES, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE DPW TODAY PROVIDED UPDATED DATA SHOWING 4,200 RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF BALTIMORE HAVE HAD THEIR WATER LINES TESTED FOR LEAD AND COMPLETED THE DPW SURVEYS ONLINE. DPW PAUL SIYAN SAYS THAT'S $3 MILLION OF TAXPAYER MONEY THAT WILL NOT HAVE TO BE SPENT ON TESTING WATER PIPELINES FOR LEAD. THE BAD NEWS: ACCORDING TO THE DPW DIRECTOR, USING THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WAS APPROVED THIS MORNING AT THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES MEETING AND CAN BE SEEN IN THE VIDEO HERE, WILL COST BETWEEN $600 AND $650 TO TEST EVERY RESIDENT IN BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY. SO IF WE'RE CONSERVATIVE AND TAKE THAT NUMBER OF $600 AND MULTIPLY IT BY THE NUMBER OF HOUSES TO BE INSPECTED, IT COULD COST BETWEEN $100 AND $6 MILLION AND $137 MILLION. I ASKED BALTIMORE'S TOP FINANCIAL OFFICIAL WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THIS. IF PEOPLE DON'T INSPECT THEIR PLUGS THEMSELVES, THE CITY HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY SOMEONE ELSE TO INSPECT THEM. AND THAT'S HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST. AND THAT COST WILL NOT COME OUT OF NOTHING. IT WILL BE PAID OUT OF THE MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE. BILL, FROM WATER AND SEWER FEES. HENRYS SAYS THAT CITY AND COUNTY TAXPAYERS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT $100 MILLION. MY FULL REPORT ON THIS LEAD PIPE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM IS NOW ON THE WBAL,
Baltimore DPW: Fewer private properties have to test water pipes for lead
New technology to detect lead pipes costs millions
Updated: 5:35 a.m. EDT June 5, 2024
New data shows there are now fewer properties that need to be checked for lead pipes, but the new technology being incorporated into the effort will cost millions. In November, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works told 11 News Investigates that about 230,000 water pipes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County needed to be checked for lead. Since that report, the DPW appeared before the Baltimore Board of Estimates on Wednesday morning to provide updated data. Now it says 177,000 water pipes on private properties need to be checked for lead. The DPW said 4,200 Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents have checked their water pipes for lead and filled out the DPW's online survey. Paul Sayan, deputy chief of the DPW's Office of Water and Sewer, said that means $3 million in taxpayer money that won't have to be spent checking water pipes for lead. So why the difference? DPW officials could not explain the difference in the numbers, and a DPW representative responded via email saying the department is “working on this request.” WBAL-TV 11 News Investigates will provide an update when DPW issues a statement. Also, the city budget committee approved a $7.6 million contract Wednesday morning for new technology to check water pipes for lead. According to DPW, it will cost between $600 and $650 to check every home in Baltimore City and Baltimore County for lead pipes. Taking a conservative cost estimate and multiplying it by the number of homes to be checked, it could cost between $106 million and $137 million. So 11 News Investigates asked the city's top financial official, Comptroller Bill Henry, who will pay for the operating costs. “If people don't check their pipes themselves, then the city will have no choice but to pay someone else to do it, and that's the amount it's going to cost – and that's not an accident. It's going to be covered by money that's available through water and sewer fees,” Henry told 11 News Investigates. Henry said that means Baltimore City and Baltimore County taxpayers will have to foot the $100 million cost.
BALTIMORE —
According to new data, fewer properties now need to be checked for lead pipes. However, the new technology used to do this will cost millions.
In November, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works told 11 News Investigates that approximately 230,000 water pipes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County needed to be tested for lead.
Since that report, the DPW appeared before the Baltimore Board of Estimates on Wednesday morning to present updated data, which showed that 177,000 water pipes on private properties now need to be tested for lead.
The DPW said 4,200 Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents checked their water pipes for lead and completed the DPW's online survey. Paul Sayan, deputy director of the DPW's Office of Water and Sewerage, said that means $3 million in taxpayer money that would not have to be spent on testing water pipes for lead.
So why the difference? DPW officials could not explain the difference in the numbers, and a DPW representative responded via email to say the department is “working on this request.” WBAL-TV 11 News Investigates will provide an update when the DPW provides an explanation.
Also Wednesday morning, the city's budget committee approved a $7.6 million contract for new technology to test water pipes for lead. According to DPW, it will cost between $600 and $650 to test every housing unit in Baltimore City and Baltimore County for lead pipes.
Taking a conservative cost estimate and multiplying it by the number of homes to be inspected, the cost could be between $106 million and $137 million.
So 11 News Investigates asked the city's top financial official, Comptroller Bill Henry, who would cover operating costs.
“If people don't check their pipes themselves, the city will have no choice but to pay someone else to do it, and that's going to cost so much – and those costs are not going to come out of nowhere. They're going to be covered by the money that's available through water and sewer fees,” Henry told 11 News Investigates.
Henry said that means taxpayers in Baltimore City and Baltimore County will have to foot the $100 million cost.
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