Olathe gets $2.3M KDHE loan to replace lead and steel pipes

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Olathe has accepted a $2.3 million loan from the state to help in its effort to replace water pipes made from lead and galvanized steel.

Last Tuesday, the Olathe City Council voted 7-0 to accept the loan funds from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Olathe operates its own municipal water utility separate from WaterOne.

The loan comes out of the state’s revolving loan fund, which Mayor John Bacon said aims to help communities protect and improve the health and safety of local public water supplies.

In Olathe’s case, the money goes toward the city’s Pipe Replacement and Education Program. Nearly half of the loan — about 49% — is eligible for forgiveness down the line.

In accordance with federal Lead and Copper Rule Revision requirements, Olathe has been working to replace all of its remaining water service lines that are made of lead or galvanized steel over the past few years.

The federal government banned the use of lead water lines in new construction projects decades ago but until recently, there were no rules in place that required water utility providers to keep track of where such lines were. There were also no rules requiring lead water lines to be removed.

Per the city’s pipe replacement and education website, the health impacts of exposure to lead through drinking water can cause chronic conditions, harm the kidneys and brain and “interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body.” Galvanized steel lines can also introduce lead to the water due to corrosion over time.

That being said Olathe has corrosion control measures in place that are meant to stop lead particles from getting into the water.

The KDHE loan will help cover the cost of replacing about 230 of water lines in residential areas with high poverty rates, Bacon said last week. He and newly seated Councilmember Matthew Schoonover both applauded city staff for proactively applying for the loan in 2022.

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About the author

👋 Hi! I’m Kaylie McLaughlin, and I cover Overland Park and Olathe for the Johnson County Post.

I grew up in Shawnee and graduated from Mill Valley in 2017. I attended Kansas State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2021. While there, I worked for the K-State Collegian, serving as the editor-in-chief. As a student, I interned for the Wichita Eagle, the Shawnee Mission Post and KSNT in Topeka. I also contributed to the KLC Journal and the Kansas Reflector. Before joining the Post in 2023 as a full-time reporter, I worked for the Olathe Reporter.