Pittsburgh, PA – This year, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) celebrated several major milestones and accomplishments. From the ongoing removal of lead lines to enhancements that improve the customer experience and exceeding preventative maintenance standards in 2023. PWSA also received several national awards and secured over $170 million in financing from grants and loans to help offset costs to customers for infrastructure improvements.
“We are working hard for our customers and these results demonstrate the many ways we are achieving our mission to protect public health and the environment for current and future generations of Pittsburghers,” said PWSA CEO Will Pickering. “From operations to customer service and all departments in between, we reached new milestones due to an increased commitment to excellence. We are poised to continue to deliver excellent work in 2024 as we launch vital infrastructure rehabilitation and renewal projects.”
This round up of the greatest moments from the past year highlight the many ways we are providing Pittsburgh families with safe, high-quality water services.
Removing Lead
In 2023, PWSA replaced its 10,000th lead line and celebrated record low levels of detection in its routine lead testing. This commitment to getting the lead out has brought national attention to PWSA’s program, including an invitation for PWSA to speak at a White House event and lend its expertise to an initiative to help accelerate lead removal in other communities.
Trust the Tap
In addition to removing lead lines and finding record low levels of lead in Pittsburgh’s drinking water, PWSA also is increasing education and outreach to the community about everything that goes into keeping our drinking water safe. Our annual Consumer Confidence Report, which measures water quality and is required by the state of Pennsylvania, shows that the drinking water we produce meets and exceeds all regulatory requirements. Our drinking water has a clean bill of health and this report reinforces that it is safe and of the highest quality. Additionally, we were recognized as a regional leader in independent report about water quality and transparency.
Expanding Customer Assistance
We’ve also committed to increasing the generosity of our various customer assistance programs and have expanded enrollment. This year, PWSA enrolled its 7,000th customer in its Bill Discount program. We also maximized the federal LIHWAP program and since January 2022 have helped customers claim more than $2.1 million in assistance to erase debt of past-due bills. Finally, we launched an innovative pilot program to pay for plumbers to help income-qualified customers make repairs in their homes to save water and lower their bills. Forty homes have benefited from this program so far.
Securing Additional Financing
PWSA has also committed to leveraging as many outside financing options as possible to minimize the burden on customers to pay for necessary upgrades to the aging water system. As a result, PWSA secured more than $150 million in new low-interest loans and $22 million in grant funding this year from a mix of federal and state programs. This funding helps to accelerate projects while also reducing the cost to ratepayers.
More Projects on the Horizon
Construction of Water Reliability Plan projects is a significant program for PWSA. This series of once in a generation projects will renew century old water pumping, storage, and distribution pipes throughout our system. Construction of these projects started in 2022 and will continue for the next several years. In 2023, we completed the rehabilitation of a large diameter water distribution pipe known as Rising Main 4. In 2024 we will begin constructing the Highland Reservoir Pump Station - our first new major facility project in more than 20 years. These projects will dramatically improve water service reliability for approximately two-thirds of our customers – meaning that customers can expect fewer service interruptions and low pressure that have caused precautionary boil water advisories in the past.
Underscoring our mission to protect the environment for current and future generations of customers, we also announced the purchase of green, renewable energy through our partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Energy Consortium. Using wind generated power will support the production and operations of essential public services – including the production and delivery of safe, reliable water services. As we modernize our system and commit to more sustainable practices, we will achieve greater energy efficiencies that will support the environment and enhance the quality of service for generations to come.
Recognized for Award-Winning Work
Locally, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers recognized PWSA’s work on the Highland II Reservoir. Nationally, we won the EPA’s Aquarius award and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ Environmental Justice and Equity Utility Management Award. Our Board Member and Pittsburgh City Councilperson Erika Strassburger was recognized by the US Water Alliance as Outstanding Public Official taking home the prestigious US Water Prize.
As a publicly owned and operated water authority, every dollar we receive is reinvested back in your water services and we never generate a profit or pay investors. Looking ahead to the New Year, we’ll remain steadfast in our mission to protect public health and the environment for current and future generations of customers. We are continuously striving to uphold the highest standards of water quality, safety, and service excellence for the vibrant communities we serve.
