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AGENDA RECOMMENDATION |
Consent Calendar 5.F.
City Council Regular Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 12/08/2025
Agenda Item:
Resolution accepting a grant and authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Bolton & Menk, Inc. (BMI) to provide professional engineering services for a 2026 Lead Water Service Line Replacement Project.
Recommendation/Action(s):
Adoption of attached resolution.
Summary:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has required all communities to perform a lead service inventory to identify any lead or galvanized services within their systems. EPA directed states and individual water systems to prioritize developing lead service inventories starting in 2024. The City of Mankato, in partnership with Bolton & Menk, Inc., has participated in grant programs in 2024 and 2025 to perform a city-wide inventory to identify any lead or galvanized services within the city system. The City of Mankato from these two inventory efforts, has identified 152 lead and 69 galvanized water services. The estimated replacement cost for these known lead and galvanized water services exceeds $9 million.
The State of Minnesota has set a statewide goal to identify and replace all lead and galvanized water service lines by 2033. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recognizes that this is a big undertaking for Public Water Systems and for this reason is offering grant funding for Lead Water Service Line Replacements through the Public Facilities Authority (PFA). The City of Mankato, based on the inventoried lead and galvanized water services, has been notified that $1 million in grant funding is available to support a 2026 Lead Water Service Line Replacement Project. It is understood that this amount does not cover all the city’s needs, but if the funding is accepted, the intent would be to replace as many water services as the funding allows.
The Lead Service Line Replacement funding is a new program offered through the PFA and provides financial assistance for the full replacement of lead and galvanized water service lines. While funds are available, the program offers 100% funding for the replacement of the private water service line, which is the entire service line from the main to the meter in the City of Mankato. The expectation for this proposed 2026 project would be 100% grant funding for the consultant engineering and the actual service replacement costs. Residents within the community cannot receive this funding individually. PFA funding is only offered through projects benefitting the Drinking Water System administered by the Public Water System.
Funding disbursement is expected to be similar to that of other projects financed through PFA, which consists of a reimbursement process. The anticipated project schedule would be as follows:
There are still a large number of unknown water services within the city system that will be required to be inventoried in the future. Future inventory opportunities consist of but are not limited to, future inventory grants, ongoing meter replacements, and inspection by property owner or public works staff.
The State of Minnesota has set a statewide goal to identify and replace all lead and galvanized water service lines by 2033. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recognizes that this is a big undertaking for Public Water Systems and for this reason is offering grant funding for Lead Water Service Line Replacements through the Public Facilities Authority (PFA). The City of Mankato, based on the inventoried lead and galvanized water services, has been notified that $1 million in grant funding is available to support a 2026 Lead Water Service Line Replacement Project. It is understood that this amount does not cover all the city’s needs, but if the funding is accepted, the intent would be to replace as many water services as the funding allows.
The Lead Service Line Replacement funding is a new program offered through the PFA and provides financial assistance for the full replacement of lead and galvanized water service lines. While funds are available, the program offers 100% funding for the replacement of the private water service line, which is the entire service line from the main to the meter in the City of Mankato. The expectation for this proposed 2026 project would be 100% grant funding for the consultant engineering and the actual service replacement costs. Residents within the community cannot receive this funding individually. PFA funding is only offered through projects benefitting the Drinking Water System administered by the Public Water System.
Funding disbursement is expected to be similar to that of other projects financed through PFA, which consists of a reimbursement process. The anticipated project schedule would be as follows:
- December 2025 – Accept grant and authorize engineering services
- March 2026 – Submit Plans and Specifications for PFA Certification
- Spring/Summer 2026 – Authorize and open bids
- Summer/Fall 2026 – Construction
- Spring 2027 – Project completion
There are still a large number of unknown water services within the city system that will be required to be inventoried in the future. Future inventory opportunities consist of but are not limited to, future inventory grants, ongoing meter replacements, and inspection by property owner or public works staff.