Aurora officials announce federal funds to accelerate lead service line replacements

Aurora announced a federal funding award to support the city’s lead service line replacement program, officials said during the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 5.

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Congressman Bill Foster were recognized at the meeting for helping secure federal dollars to help remove lead water pipes. Underwood said the funds will allow the city to “replace 120 lead service lines for homes,” affecting about 400 residents, and described the effort as part of a broader push to improve drinking-water safety.

Mayor John Lash said the money will help Aurora accelerate its work on a long‑term replacement goal and thanked public works staff for pursuing state and federal funding. The mayor and council representatives noted that the city’s total replacement goal is about 16,000 service lines across Aurora.

Foster, who spoke at the meeting, said Congress had sought more funds but emphasized the practical benefit of the award and pledged continued advocacy for additional federal support.

City staff and representatives did not provide a final list of which neighborhoods or addresses would be served first; they said project planning and site selection would follow standard public‑works procedures. Public Works Director Jason Bauer was introduced as the department lead for the program during the mayor’s remarks.

Why this matters: lead service lines remain a public‑health concern. Officials described the allocation as a near‑term infusion of federal dollars to begin additional replacements while the city continues to pursue more funding to meet its larger, multi‑year goal.

Next steps: staff said they will brief the council and the public as sites are selected and work schedules are set. Congresswoman Underwood and Congressman Foster said they would continue to coordinate with city staff and may visit project sites.

Clarifying note: officials used slightly different figures at the meeting. Danielle (mayor’s staff) and the mayor’s office referenced about $1,100,000 coming to the city; Underwood referred during her remarks to $1,000,000. The article reports both the officials’ statements and the city’s summary of the program’s near‑term scope.