BlueConduit’s software helps expedite lead pipe removal and replacement by using its predictive algorithm to pinpoint homes with a greater likelihood of lead pipes.
All communities now have an unprecedented opportunity to identify and remove lead pipes to eradicate contamination in their water lines.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (PRWEB) November 18, 2021
BlueConduit, a leading water analytics company, directs cities to develop a lead service line inventory now, after the signing of the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The law invests $15 billion in the removal of lead pipes as part of its clean water initiatives. View the lead service line inventory solutions.
“All communities now have an unprecedented opportunity to identify and remove lead pipes to eradicate contamination in their water lines,” said Eric Schwartz, co-founder of BlueConduit. “Now is the time for cities and states to proactively create lead service line removal and replacement plans, and the first step in that plan is to create a lead pipe inventory.”
BlueConduit’s software helps expedite lead pipe removal and replacement by using its predictive algorithm to pinpoint homes with a greater likelihood of lead pipes. By leveraging this technology and local funding, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) estimates it will save $165 million.
“Every decision we make at DWSD keeps affordability in mind,” said Palencia Mobley, deputy director and chief engineer at DWSD. “This partnership with BlueConduit and the funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Kresge Foundation and EGLE allow us to have mapping of probable lead service line locations for planning and regulatory reporting, without digging up every service line in the city of Detroit, which would have likely increased water rates to pay for the work.”
BlueConduit’s data-driven software, which was originally used in Flint, Michigan to save tens of millions of dollars, expedites lead pipe removal and replacement, and prevents unnecessary digging to inspect pipes. “Other communities can benefit from our technology. It reduces time and cost of projects by as much as 50% versus traditional approaches, which is made even more cost-effective by leveraging funding,” said Schwartz, a University of Michigan professor.
The company estimates there are up to 12 million American homes using lead pipes. “Our goal is to reduce the number of days citizens live with the risk of lead exposure by helping cities find the lead pipes in their communities,” added Schwartz.
BlueConduit’s machine-learning technology, which was recently named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2021, is currently used in numerous U.S. cities, including Trenton, New Jersey, Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan, for their lead pipe replacement projects.
About BlueConduit
BlueConduit is a water analytics company that has developed cutting-edge, predictive machine-learning methods to locate lead service lines, empowering local officials with the information to efficiently remove those pipes. Named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2021, the company’s model enables utilities to focus their resources on digging where the lead is and accelerating the removal of this significant health concern, and save millions of dollars in avoided digs. Since 2016, BlueConduit has worked with more than 50 municipalities and inventoried nearly 1 million service lines, which serve more than 2 million people. Learn more at BlueConduit.com.