Lead line removal a good idea, but funding will be challenging

"Everybody wants lead lines to be replaced, especially the mayors in our cities, but it's a lot of money," Sarah Biehl, policy director at Ohio Mayors Alliance, told the Ohio Capital Journal last week. Her comment came as state lawmakers take a look at House Bill 307, to "Enact the Lead Line Replacement Act." Sponsored by state Reps. Dontavius Jarrels, D-Columbus, and Monica Robb Blasdel, R-New Waterford, the measure would mandate state replacement of all lead service lines. It's an important project. According to the Capital Journal, there are 745,000 lead service lines in Ohio — that's 8.1% of the national total, placing the Buckeye State third in the country for lead water lines. That is a contributing factor to the 4,000 Ohio children per year who test high for levels of lead poisoning. In fact, the Ohio Environmental Council suggests replacing all of the state's lead water lines would grow the economy by as much as $185 billion over the next 15 years. Removing lead service lines would mean 9,700 fewer deaths from heart disease, 7,300 fewer cases of anemia, 3,800 cases of depression, 2,400 cases of coronary heart disease, 640 fewer infant deaths, 520 fewer cases of dementia, and 150 fewer cases of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder over that time, the report says. "If you care about economic growth, if you care about improving the future of Ohio, this is a good investment," Rob Moore, principal for Scioto Analysis, told the Capital Journal. "It is expensive, but the benefits are massive." Caring is one thing. Coming up with the more than $16 billion in costs associated with HB 307 over those 15 years is another story — particularly as lawmakers and other politicians continue to talk about removing revenue streams without finding new money. Local governments are not in a position to raise rates to try to do the work themselves. Ohioans are already struggling financially. If lawmakers want something like HB 307 to be implemented — and, again, it makes sense that they would — they had better be prepared to make some difficult decisions about how to fund it.