The city of Macomb collaborated with the Western Illinois University GIS Center last summer to send teams of WIU students door-to-door to check whether homes had lead water service pipes.
The city will use the data collected to develop a remediation plan. Mayor Mike Inman said such a plan is needed before the city can ask for funding help through grants.
“The federal government knows those asks are coming, and communities like us who have their ducks in a row – know exactly what the problem is and the cost to replace it – are going to be in much better shape to get those grants than not,” he said.
Inman said the city’s survey found about 700 confirmed lead pipes and another 1,300 suspected/unconfirmed lead pipes.
The city estimates it will cost $6,000 to $8,000 to replace each one of those.
Right now, Macomb does not have the money to assist homeowners with replacing the pipes, but the city recently promoted Jessica Biddenstadt to the new position of grant writer. Inman said this will be her top priority.
Biddenstadt had been executive assistant in the mayor’s office, and will continue to handle those duties until her replacement is hired.
Inman said the city will ask for funding as soon as the federal grant application process opens up.
The mayor said the remediation plan is due to the federal EPA by 2027, and there will be additional time to implement the plan.
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