"Get the lead out."

Erie Water Works (EWW) CEO Craig Palmer is on a mission.

"We have a responsibility to our ratepayers and our customers to provide the safest possible drinking water," Palmer said.

It requires some digging, twisting and sawing. The goal of the Service Line Replacement Project is to replace all the lead gooseneck pipes in the EWW water service connections by the end of 2027, striving for cleaner water in both local businesses and homes.

"There is no safe level of lead," Palmer said.

Within the past 20 years, Erie Water Works has replaced over 5800 goosenecks, averaging to about 290 each year. With nearly 50 million dollars to work with over the past two years, however, it is speeding up the removal rater by nearly 400 percent because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

"What would have taken 25 years to remove the remaining 7200, we're doing that in less than five years," Palmer said.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says Erie is leading the way when it comes to removing lead from its water systems, because down the road, the effects of consuming it could be costly. The EPA states that young children are "particularly vulnerable."

"Lowered IQ to liver problems to a variety of other illnesses," said Bruno Pigott, Acting Assistant Administrator for Water at the EPA.

With nearly three decades of experience in the water safety field, Pigott continues to praise Erie for a job well done.

"The effort to replace 100% of them within five years, it's just remarkable," Pigott said.

EPA's health information on the effects of lead in drinking water can be found here.

Information on the EWW's Service Line Replacement Project can be found here.