Proposed water bill to replace lead pipes, boost Iron Range economy

"Water Action Week" continues in Minnesota with a bill introduced by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., that would replace aging lead pipes and help boost the Iron Range economy.

Elected officials continue to focus on water as they work to prevent a Flint, Mich., crisis from happening elsewhere. Dangerous lead levels put Flint in a state of emergency and have led to criminal charges against two state regulators and one city employee.

Gov. Mark Dayton was set to visit Austin's wastewater treatment plant in the southeast part of the state Thursday to talk with city leaders and businesses about the town's infrastructure. He planned to discuss their implementation of water quality buffers on farmland in the city, but canceled due to illness.

Dangerous lead levels found in Flint's drinking water have prompted communities across the country to examine their own infrastructure. Franken helped introduce the bill Wednesday that calls for required testing of lead pipes and reporting the numbers to government entities. It also requires replacing lead leaching pipes with American-made steel pipes.

The bill proposes to use loans, grants and tax credits to upgrade public water systems across the country.

"It's going to cost $70 billion over 10 years," Franken said of the proposed investment. "But this is something we need to do and it's for our kids, for everybody's safety, but especially our kids."

Dayton is also urging the Legislature to act this session on water quality funding. Dayton has proposed a $220 million down payment on clean water infrastructure upgrades to provide clean, affordable drinking water in communities across Minnesota.