In Gary, Thousands of Lead Pipes Still Lurk Beneath Homes

Yahoo

04-04-2025

The report card for America's infrastructure is out – and it's not looking good.The nation received a C- for drinking water, a 'mediocre' ranking that reflects widespread deterioration and requires attention. 'Some elements exhibit significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality, increasing vulnerability to risk,' the report stated.
The American Society of Civil Engineers, which represents more than 160,000 engineers across government, academia, and the private sector, warned that the country's water systems are deteriorating and increasingly at risk of failure. With aging pipes and chronic underinvestment, the nation now has an estimated 9 million lead service lines still in use across the U.S.That concern hits especially hard in Gary, where aging infrastructure and a legacy of disinvestment have left thousands of lead pipes buried beneath streets, homes, and public buildings, connecting residents to potentially contaminated water.While Indiana American Water has replaced more than 12,000 lead lines in Northwest Indiana and 33,000 statewide, only about a quarter of the 4,000 funded for replacement in Gary have been completed, according to a company spokesperson.
For Kwabena Rasuli, a Gary resident and mechanical engineer, maintaining infrastructure isn't just about public works–it's about respect. Respect for the neighborhoods where the work is done, and for the people doing it.
'I don't think we're being respected,' said Rasuli, a member of the National Society of Black Engineers. 'Because when they leave, they don't leave the areas in at least the same condition or better condition than when they started.'He points to a service line replacement site east of downtown Gary, where crews have been working for nearly a month. Exposed pipes jut from the pavement, and the torn-up asphalt remains unpaved'They wouldn't do that anywhere else, and anywhere else wouldn't allow them to do it. So we shouldn't allow them to do it.' he said. These frustrations are exactly what Indiana State Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, had in mind when she helped push forward Senate Bill 5, a law designed to accelerate the replacement of lead service lines across the state, particularly in communities like Gary.Hunley, a former school principal in Indianapolis, said her experience in education made the health risks of lead exposure impossible to ignore.'Working as a school principal, we do lead testing of the water every single year in schools in Indiana, and so I've been very aware of how important it is for us to know early on if, if young children have high levels of lead content in their blood because it can have a significant impact on their learning,' she said.Senate Bill 5, which passed last year with bipartisan support, instructs utility companies, like Indiana American Water, to replace identified service lines within 45 days at no direct cost to homeowners and more efficiency to companies. Gary, which has a large aging housing stock, is vulnerable to overexposure to lead and its effects.'I mean, this is not new in any way. It's structural and it's deep, but now that we know better, we do better,' Hunley said.
The health risks of lead exposure are serious and long-lasting.
Sources of lead exposure can include residential paint that was manufactured before 1978, water from lead pipes, and soil near busy roads, according to the 2023 Childhood Lead Survey Report by the Indiana Department of Health. In Indiana, 1.65% of Black children tested positive for elevated blood lead levels compared with 2.34% of white children in 2023, according to the report.
Barry Suits, president of Indiana American Water, recently responded in a statement to the ASCE report card, saying that the report highlights 'an urgent need' for more investment in the state.
'The Report Card highlights the urgent need for significant investment in water and wastewater infrastructure, not just across the nation, but also here in the Hoosier State,' Suits said. 'Our state continues to face challenges when it comes to investing in critical infrastructure, particularly in these sectors.'
Last year, Indiana American Water announced it had received $19 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to help fund the replacement or retirement of approximately 4,000 lead service lines in Gary. State Revolving Fund Loan Programs provide low-interest loans to communities for projects that improve wastewater and drinking water infrastructure to protect public health and the environment, the IAW statement said. To help track progress, Indian American Water provides an interactive map that allows residents to check and self-report their lead service lines.
Hunley said cities like Gary are often last in line for infrastructure improvements, a pattern shaped by redlining, economic neglect, and limited political representation.
'It's political because it's about representation,' she said. 'Does someone from your community, in your neighborhood, have a seat at the table? Are they an elected official? So if you don't have representation or a voice at the table, then that's one way that the community gets deprioritized.'
'There's no excuse anymore for us to have areas that are deprioritized.'
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