Local residents will soon have cleaner drinking water

The initiative will bring change to Upper Darby, Lansdowne, and Millbourne municipalities.

Thanks to an investment in the state’s infrastructure, local residents will have cleaner drinking water very soon.

A $3.6 million low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (Pennvest) will soon be going to “support the removal and replacement of approximately nine existing lead and 339 lead-impacted galvanized water service lines in Delaware County,” according to a recent press release.

The new line replacements will be done by Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. in Upper Darby Township and Lansdowne, East Lansdowne, Millbourne, and Yeadon boroughs.

State Rep. Heather Boyd, a Democrat representing portions of Delaware County, was grateful for the investment in her communities.

“No family should have to worry about the contents of their drinking water,” Boyd said. “This low-interest loan from the state is a direct investment in the health, safety, and future of our communities. This is exactly the kind of project that makes a real difference in people’s daily lives.”

In addition to line replacements, residents in the impacted communities will also be helped with water filtration. As a part of the replacement process, Boyd said customers can expect to receive a certified pitcher filter and six months of replacement cartridges.

Pennvest serves communities through capital funding for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, non-point source pollution prevention and other related projects that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive for these communities to complete on their own.

The organization focuses on its role as a “financing authority that provides low-cost financial assistance to address water, wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source pollution problems that impact public health, safety, the environment, regulatory compliance, and economic development.”

Pennvest focuses on two goals for the betterment of the Commonwealth, according to its website. The organization works on “ensuring all Pennsylvanians have access to clean water and supporting the Commonwealth’s economic development.”