History of Pittsburgh water crisis in Timeline

The Pittsburgh water crisis involved elevated lead levels in the city's water supply, stemming from aging lead pipes and exacerbated by changes in corrosion control measures beginning in 2014. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) exceeded the EPA's lead action level in 2016, posing health risks, particularly to children. Since 2020, PWSA has been compliant with EPA regulations and has implemented orthophosphate treatment and lead service line replacements, with over 13,000 replaced since 2016 and a goal to remove all residential lead lines by 2027.

2012: Pittsburgh Hires Veolia

In 2012 Pittsburgh hired Veolia before the lead crisis emerged as a serious issue.

2012: Veolia Hired as Water Consultancy

In 2012, the city of Pittsburgh hired Veolia as a water consultancy, which catalyzed the water crisis due to cost-cutting measures.

2014: Unauthorized Change of Anti-Corrosion Chemicals

In 2014, an unauthorized change of anti-corrosion chemicals occurred, contributing to a spike in lead concentration in Pittsburgh's water supply.

2014: Unauthorized Switch to Caustic Soda

In 2014, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) broke state law by switching from soda ash to caustic soda as an anti-corrosion treatment without approval, sparking an increase in erosion levels and causing lead levels to spike.

2015: Flint Hires Veolia

In 2015, Flint hired Veolia to help manage the lead crises.

2016: PWSA Ordered to Replace Public Lead Service Lines

After a lead test revealed Pittsburgh's water supply was exceeding the federal limit in 2016, the PWSA was ordered to replace public lead service lines.

2016: Lawsuit Filed Against Veolia

In 2016, Michigan attorney general Bill Schuette filed a lawsuit against Veolia for professional negligence.

2016: PWSA Launches Community Lead Response Program

In 2016, PWSA launched the Community Lead Response program, which focused on the systematic replacement of lead services and the introduction of orthophosphate into the water treatment process to mitigate lead corrosion.

2016: PWSA Exceeds EPA Lead Action Level

In 2016, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) exceeded the U.S. EPA lead action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), posing serious health risks to residents.

2016: Water Testing Reveals High Lead Concentrations

In 2016, water testing revealed that more than 17% of homes sampled had lead concentrations exceeding the federal action level of 15 ppb, prompting scrutiny.

2017: Pittsburgh's Lead Levels Higher Than Flint's

In 2017, Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards, who helped reveal the Flint lead crisis, pointed out that Pittsburgh's lead levels were higher than Flint's.

2017: Pennsylvania Auditor General Criticizes PWSA

In 2017, an audit conducted by the Pennsylvania Auditor general criticized PWSA for severe operational failings, including changing leadership and inconsistent testing practices.

2017: Discontinuation of Removing Only Public Service Lines

In mid-2017, the practice of removing only public service lines was discontinued. A couple of months after the city ceased removing lead lines, legislation was passed that allowed the PWSA to use Pittsburgh's public safety powers to remove both public and private lines.

2018: Introduction of Orthophosphate

In 2018, the Authority introduced orthophosphate to improve corrosion control in lead service lines.

April 2019: City Begins Adding Orthophosphate to Water Supply

In April 2019, the city of Pittsburgh began adding orthophosphate to the water supply as a means of reducing lead corrosion.

2020: Corrosion Control Improvements Made

Prior to the corrosion control improvements made in 2020, about a quarter of PWSA customers received their water supply through lead pipes, thus putting a significant portion of the Pittsburgh population at risk for lead consumption.

2020: PWSA Compliance with EPA Lead and Copper Rule

Since 2020, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has been in compliance with the EPA Lead and Copper Rule.

February 2024: Significant Decline in Lead Levels

As of February 2024, the 90th percentile lead concentration in high-risk homes was measured at 3.58 ppb, substantially below the Environmental Protection Agency's action level of 15 ppb.

April 2024: PWSA Removed Public and Private Lead Service Lines

By April 2024, PWSA had successfully removed over 11,000 public lead service lines and more than 7,500 private lines at no direct cost to consumers.

2026: Authority Aims to Eliminate Lead Service Lines

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority aims to eliminate all lead service lines by 2026 and continues to provide free lead testing kits and maintain an interactive lead map for public awareness.