Detroit's water chief says it could take decades and up to $500 million to remove underground water lines that could potentially threaten people's health with lead.
Water and Sewerage Department Director Gary Brown cited the figures this week at a national water conference held in Flint, a city trying to replace its service lines in the wake of a lead contamination crisis.
Detroit avoided a similar situation by coating its aging pipes with phosphate corrosion control chemicals. But experts are warning that water coming through any lead pipe is dangerous by modern standards. The city has at least 125,000 underground lead service lines.
Detroit Health Department Director Dr. Joneigh Khaldun is set to announce an initiative Thursday to better coordinate lead-fighting efforts citywide and speed up help to worried residents.
