Lehigh County Authority wins $15.4M to replace lead service lines in Allentown
PENNVEST approved an $8.1 million loan and $7.2 million grant to replace roughly 1,000 public and private lead service lines in Allentown and investigate unknown service line materials.
Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-16, has announced the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) has approved financial assistance for a drinking water enhancement project in Lehigh County.
“Clean drinking water is an essential part of healthy communities,” Coleman said. “These projects are critical. I’m proud to support them and happy that they received the financial assistance they needed.”
According to a release, the Lehigh County Authority was approved for an $8.1 million loan and $7.2 million grant to replace lead service lines on the public and private side of approximately 1,000 services in Allentown.
According to Coleman, the funds cover the entire $15.4 million project cost.
The LCA said the funding will support the replacement of approximately 1,000 lead service lines, along with expanded investigation work to identify remaining unknown materials across the system.
The investment is part of a broader $284.2 million package supporting water infrastructure projects across Pennsylvania aimed at improving water quality, modernizing systems, and protecting public health.
“This is a direct investment in public health,” said Liesel Gross, Chief CEO of The Lehigh County Authority. “Removing lead service lines reduces long-term risk for the families we serve and strengthens the reliability of our system. This funding allows us to continue that work at a scale that makes a real difference in our community.”
The project will include replacement of lead service lines on both the public and private side, as well as continued efforts to identify unknown public and private service line materials in Allentown.
“Every unknown service line represents a gap in the system,” said Reni Keane-Dengel, LCA’s lead program and compliance manager. “This funding allows us to close those gaps while continuing to replace confirmed lead service lines. It’s a coordinated approach that ensures we’re not just making progress but making the right progress. ”
PENNVEST is a financing authority that provides low-cost financial assistance to address water, wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source pollution problems that impact public health, safety, the environment, regulatory compliance and economic development.