Minnesota House approves legislation dedicating $240M to remove lead pipes
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota House has approved legislation to map and remove lead pipes across the state. The Minnesota House has agreed to commit $240 million to the removal process.
The bill now goes to Gov. Tim Walz to sign into law.
READ MORE: Walz pushes $240 million proposal to replace lead pipes across Minnesota
"This is about making sure we don't end up like Flint, Michigan and don't end up in a situation putting homeowners, children, and the environment at risk," said Walz in April when he first proposed the legislation.
But some areas are already getting a head start.
St. Paul has crews working to replace lead pipes. More than one in four homes in the city still have a lead water service line, meaning the toxic metal - which can cause slow development in children - can still get into drinking water.
The Minnesota Department of Health estimates there are about 100,000 water service lines in the state that are draining lead into the drinking water.