HF 24 is a bill to fund $240 million for the Public Facilities Authority to inventory and replace lead service lines across Minnesota. The bill also sets a state goal to replace all lead service lines in Minnesota by 2033.
According to the Department of Health, Minnesota contains roughly 100,000 lead service lines. These pipes, which connect households to community water systems, allow toxic lead to dissolve into residents’ drinking water. No level of lead contamination is safe, and even low levels of lead can result in long-term, dangerous health risks, particularly in children and pregnant women. The cost of replacing all lead service lines in Minnesota is estimated at $800 million. With an initial $240 million appropriation, HF 24 provides a major “first installment” toward finding and replacing these lines.
