Crews performing a lead service line replacement.

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority closed 2020 with a record investment of $122,108,191 in capital expenditures. This is the largest investment in our history and we anticipate seeing future growth as we make the needed improvements to our infrastructure. 

In 2020, $30,168,074 was spent on the replacement of lead service lines. We are working towards our goal of replacing all lead service lines by 2026 and in the coming years will replace them in conjunction with the replacement of water mains. 

Surface restoration, replacing catch basins and rehabilitating sewer lines was also a tremendous part of the 2020 capital program. In total $15,203,687 was spent in 2020 to return streets and sidewalks to pre-construction conditions. While an additional $8,208,838 million went towards replacing catch basins in several neighborhoods, and $3.2 million was spent on the rehabilitation of aging sewer lines in the Lincoln Place neighborhood as part of the 31st Ward Sewer Reconstruction Project. This project is approximately 45% complete and will extend the life of approximately five miles of sewer lines.  

We also completed work on larger water infrastructure including improvements to the Herron Hill Reservoir and the restoration of the parapet wall around the Highland Reservoir. 

These projects to remove lead lines, replace water mains, rehabilitate sewer pipes, and renovate our water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure reflect the variety of work outlined in our five-year Capital Improvement Program. These improvements are a major investment in the safety and reliability of our water services.