FAQ - Lead Waterline Project
- DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for at least one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
- Symptoms of infection include nausea, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. If you experience one or more of these symptoms and they persist, contact your doctor. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly people may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
The Village of Dunkirk has no evidence at this time that the water system is contaminated. The possibility, however, does exist that the water system is contaminated and is issuing this advisory as a precaution.
What is being done?
We are investigating and taking the necessary steps to correct the problem as soon as possible.
General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
**UPDATE ON MARCH 3RD AT 9:50AM**
Sorry for the late notice, but as with all projects, plans are bound to change. Due to the railroad changing our plans, the intersection of Pioneer and Patterson streets will be closed to traffic today. Please plan accordingly. There is also the potential for a boil water alert today and will be throughout the project. We will do our best to keep you informed and up to date on the forum and the village website.
Why do we have to replace these water lines?
The Ohio EPA has said that if you have any lead or galvanized water lines, they must be replaced. It's all a part of the EPA's improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule, which were issued by the Biden Administration on Oct. 8. The rule requires all drinking water systems across the country to replace lead pipes within 10 years. The rule also requires galvanized steel water service lines to be replaced.
When and where the project supposed to start?
The project will start within the next week or two. The contractor is supposed to let us know a couple of days in advance when they will start digging in your area and then we will let you know. It will require that the roads be closed to local thru traffic but homeowners will be allowed to enter and exit their properties.
Can this project be paid for with property tax money?
Property tax money goes to expenses from the general fund. The expenses that we are talking about come out of the water fund account. So, in order to have sufficient money to cover this project, we had to acquire a loan.
How the costs were calculated?
There is a bi-annual payment of $52,774.98 that has to be made for 30 years. So, we took the total of $105,549.96 and divided it by 390 households. That amount of $270.64 was divided by 6 payments per year to produce the $45.11 per billing period. Currently, the Board of Public Affairs is billing you $4.12 for a repair that was made to the water tower. That amount was supposed to come off of your bill this year. So instead of taking it off, the BPA only increased the water bill $40.99 to come to the needed amount of $45.11 The EPA wanted us to implement increases of 12%, 15%, 15% and 10% over the next few years to be able to make those payments but the BPA did not want to do that. Part of the reason being that the percentage increases would have increased the sewer rates as well and the sewer account is fine at this time. This is not something that the BPA wanted to do at all. The EPA has our hands tied. If we do not follow through with this, the state will come in and take over and we will not have any kind of say in what we are charged.
What if I can't make my water bill payment?
There are services out there, such as HHWP CAC, Love Inc. and Hardin County Job and Family Services, which can assist with water bill payments. Also you can CALL 211. They can direct you to other services that may also be available. Perhaps, rather than making one big payment every other month, we encourage you to make smaller monthly payments or even weekly payments if that would make it easier on you. BPA had talked about doing monthly water bills but that would raise our costs in house and defeat the purpose.
How long will the project take?
We have been told 240 days or right around the end of September.
Is this a one-time cost?
Unfortunately, it is not a one-time cost. The $45.11 charge will be on each water bill for the next 30 years.
Can a person pay the entire amount up front and what would that cost be?
Yes you could do that but I am not sure if I would advise that. The cost would be $8,119.80. If you would rather just make one payment each year, that cost would be $270.64. If someone wanted to do that, then the $45.11 would be taken off their monthly water bill.