Lead Abatement Program Offers $1,000 in Rebates
(MEDFORD)—The
City of Medford is offering residents a rebate of $1,000 to remove
lead-lined water pipes and upgrade their home plumbing system to safe
standards, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced. The program’s goal is to
incentivize residents to replace aging lead-lined pipes which can lead
to various health complications.
The
City operates and maintains public water pipes and routinely updates
aging pipes that feed from the street to the water shut off at a
homeowner’s property. When the City is doing this work, residents are
encouraged to test their own pipes and if lead is found, engage in
upgrading their water system. When doing this in tandem with the City, a
rebate of $1,000 is given to the resident.
The
City has been upgrading its water system infrastructure for the past
decade and is encouraging residents to do the same. This program,
originally funded through a loan from the Massachusetts Water Resource
Authority, is now eligible to continue under the American Rescue Plan
Act (ARPA) legislation.
Residents
who upgrade their home plumbing system and can show that they hire
licensed and bonded contractors, and submit required documentation to
the City, will receive a rebate of $1,000 from the City through ARPA
funds. As the City continues to identify and replace lead service lines,
we are also proactively contacting property owners about this program.
“This
is a wonderful program that prioritizes our public water infrastructure
along with the health and safety of our residents while delivering real
financial relief in the process,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn said. “As the City
continues optimizing and upgrading its water pipes, I urge every
resident and homeowner to take advantage of this opportunity and upgrade
their systems to protect themselves and loved ones.”
This
rebate will apply only if a resident first hires a licensed and bonded
contractor who satisfactorily completes the work, and second, submits
the required documents. The goal is to help all homeowners who wish to
remove their lead water services.
“Lead
is an extremely dangerous material that can have disastrous health
consequences if not remediated,” Commissioner of Public Works Timothy
McGivern said. “By engaging in this program, the community will be able
to make significant improvements in their water system while also
modernizing their home’s infrastructure.”
If
you need assistance identifying the type of pipe in your basement, you
can call the Medford Water Division at (617) 784-7507 and ask for Joseph
Sousa. Once lead is confirmed, you can reach out to Carmella Donato
(Engineering) by calling (781) 393-2474 or emailing her at
ccdonato@medford.org, after which she will then email or mail the
following:
- A list of City-licensed contractors that perform residential water service work
- A list of the items needed in order to process the rebate
A W-9 Rebate Form (filled out by homeowner)
- Instructions for flushing your water system after lead line replacement.
What the Engineering Department will need from you/your contractor is (when job is completed):
- A copy of the contractor’s permit signed by the Water Division
- An as-built tie sheet
- Before and after photographs taken inside the home and outside at the connection to the shutoff at the sidewalk
- A copy of the contractor’s invoice and proof of payment (check cleared and downloaded from bank (front and back copy)
- A W9 Form filled out by Homeowner
Once
all these requirements have been met, the City will process the
documents and you will be sent a check for $ 1,000.00. Please feel free
to contact the Engineering office at (781) 393-2474 if you have any
questions.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.