Latest news with #GeorgeZonders
Axios
02-06-2025
- Health
- Axios
What it'll cost to replace Columbus' lead pipes
The city of Columbus is working to replace thousands of lead water lines ahead of a federal deadline, though the full scope of the project isn't yet known. Why it matters: Ingesting lead causes health problems and no amount is safe, per the CDC and EPA. Officials estimate the Lead Service Line Replacement Program will cost the city about $1 billion. How it works: Service lines connect homes to city water mains, usually under a street. Part is under public property and part is under private property, and some or all of it may need replacing. Columbus prohibited lead lines in 1963, so they're mostly concentrated in older areas like the Hilltop, Westgate, German Village, Linden and Olde Towne East, Division of Water regulatory compliance adviser Emilie Eskridge tells Axios. The city is still collecting data to verify where lead is located. How to help: Find your address on this map to see if replacement is necessary at your property. Each dot symbolizes a home's service line, split in two, representing the public and the private sides. If your private pipe material is "unknown," you need to prove it isn't lead. City Council recently made the process easier. Instead of hiring a contractor to verify, which could cost $100 or more, residents can now do it themselves and submit a photo. By the numbers: Almost 25,000 lead service lines are verified, per the city's latest figures. Another 14,000 are galvanized steel and will need to be replaced because they're downstream from lead and may have particles stuck to them, says Public Utilities department spokesperson George Zonders. Over 58,000 are still listed as "unknown material." Threat level: Columbus has " extremely effective corrosion control, which means that we very rarely see detectable levels of lead in our distribution system," Eskridge says. Follow the money: The city will cover all costs for replacements that follow its schedule.
Axios
07-05-2025
- General
- Axios
Why Columbus' new water meters are raising some customer bills
The City of Columbus is working to replace over 300,000 aging water meters across Central Ohio — a switch that's unexpectedly flooding some customers with higher water bills. Why it matters: The new meters are more accurate and efficient, eliminating the need for manual readings, per the city. They'll be more user-friendly, eventually featuring a new online customer portal, and will allow the city to switch from quarterly to monthly billing. By the numbers: It's a $125 million project impacting over 1 million people, including in some suburbs that contract with Columbus for water services. Catch up quick: The Enhanced Meter Project started in 2023 and is gradually rolling out across neighborhoods, with an estimated completion in 2027. Customers receive a letter when it's time for their meter to be replaced, which is mandatory, and must schedule an appointment for a worker to enter their home to access it. A switch to monthly billing will follow. Pro tip: Make sure your toilets and other appliances aren't leaking. Old, worn-out meters may not pick up on leaks, but the new ones will — which could cause the sticker shock some residents are reporting. Other homes may just "catch up to reality" with a more accurate meter, per the city's website. How it works: The water meter you see outside your home is just a remote, connected via a wire or small cable to an actual indoor meter where water passes through. As they age, the remote may "slow down" and not reflect true consumption, Public Utilities department spokesperson George Zonders tells Axios. That's why customers should regularly verify outdoor and indoor readings match. What they're saying:"What we're finding is that for some customers, the difference between the inside meter and outside remote is enough that the last inside reading on the old meter will show up on their next bill as a usage spike," Zonders says. The new meters won't have outdoor remotes and will transmit consumption data digitally. To troubleshoot an unusually high bill after a switch, call customer service at 614-645-8276 or email [email protected]. What's next: After their meters are replaced, about 11,700 Hilltop area customers will be the first to test the new monthly billing system starting in June, Zonders says.
