October 7, 2026

PITTSBURGH, PA - Pittsburgh Water is entering the final stretch of one of the largest infrastructure efforts in its history, with approximately 88% of its residential lead service line program now complete and a goal of finishing the remaining work by the end of 2027.

As of October 1, Pittsburgh Water has replaced 16,264 public lead service lines and 12,533 private lead service lines across the service area.

“Pittsburgh is proving that when we need investment in the health and sustainability of our neighborhoods, major infrastructure work can be both ambitious and practical,” said Mayor Corey O’Connor. “This program represents years of sustained investment and coordination, and reaching this stage is a major milestone for the City. Finishing this work will leave Pittsburgh families with stronger infrastructure and a healthier foundation for the future.”

The work is part of a decade-long effort to remove lead from Pittsburgh’s residential water infrastructure. Pittsburgh Water serves approximately 71,000 residential service connections, and crews have worked neighborhood by neighborhood to identify and replace lead lines on both public and private property.

“This has been an enormous undertaking, and we are proud to have made this investment in the health and safety of our residents,” said Will Pickering, CEO of Pittsburgh Water. “Nearly 29,000 public and private lead service lines have already been replaced, and we’re committed to carrying that momentum through this final stretch. Every replacement means another Pittsburgh household with safer, more modern water infrastructure, and we’re excited to keep doing this work for the communities we serve.”

There is still significant work ahead. Approximately 8,300 properties remain to be checked for lead, a number that includes work already underway as well as properties scheduled for future phases of the program.

Depending on what crews find during those inspections, Pittsburgh Water currently expects to replace approximately 2,500 to 4,000 additional public lead service lines in 2027, along with a similar number of privately owned lead lines.

The scale of the program goes well beyond the number of pipes replaced. Pittsburgh Water estimates by the time the effort is complete, its total investment in lead service line removal will approach $400 million.

To help fund the final phase of work, Pittsburgh Water’s Board of Directors authorized an application for up to $19 million in PENNVEST financing for the 2027 Neighborhood Lead Service Line Replacement Project. The financing helps keep the program on schedule while reducing costs.

Work will continue across several construction phases through 2027 as Pittsburgh Water moves toward its goal of replacing all remaining residential lead service lines by the end of the year.