At Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), we believe that solving large-scale water infrastructure challenges requires more than just technology; it requires collaboration. Recently, we hosted an event that brought together experts from various sectors to focus on the critical issue of lead service line detection and removal.
Lead service lines are critical to public health, particularly for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and the elderly. While legislative actions over the past 50 years have reduced some risks, incidents like the Flint water crisis underscore the ongoing threat posed by lead pipes in aging water infrastructure.
On October 8th, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a final rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace all lead service lines within the next ten years. This mandate emphasizes the critical need for effective technologies that can detect lead without the costly and time-consuming process of excavation. Current methods lack efficiency, and with stricter regulations on the horizon, developing tools capable of identifying lead, copper, and galvanized steel with high accuracy is essential to meet regulatory demands and safeguard public health. This national mandate has brought greater focus to this crisis, but what’s truly remarkable is how Cleveland has become a hub for innovation in addressing this problem.
While the lead service line crisis is a national issue, the efforts to solve it are being driven right here in Cleveland. Innovators presented their cutting-edge ideas and technologies at our event, sparking valuable discussions with several key stakeholders, including representatives from the EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, regional water managers, and local elected officials. The event attracted attention from local, state, and federal levels, bringing together a diverse cross section of interests. This level of engagement shows that the solutions being developed in Cleveland could significantly influence national strategies.
A key theme of the event was the importance of piloting technology in real-world conditions. One of the biggest barriers to solving infrastructure challenges is testing new solutions at scale in a practical, operational environment. Cleveland Water Alliance’s Deal Flow Analyst, Emily Hamilton, explained, “Opportunities to pilot solutions in environments that simulate real-world conditions are crucial, as they bridge the gap between innovation and application." Through our collaboration with Cleveland Water, we’ve been able to pilot emerging technologies at their Lead Service Line Research Facility. The success of this model shows that there is great potential for recreating it in different regions and scenarios.
Collaboration is essential to addressing complex issues in the water economy. At CWA, we pride ourselves on being a cross-sector convener, eliminating silos, and bringing the right people together to tackle these problems while creating a community of practice that fosters collaboration and shared expertise. As technology and mandates continue to evolve, our solutions must also adapt to meet diverse market opportunities. By fostering these partnerships and driving innovation, we create a platform for real-world solutions that can be scaled to meet the challenges of both today and tomorrow.
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